Christmas trees can be major Fire Hazard

Did you know that your live Christmas tree can be a fire waiting to happen? We don’t want to be a Grinch, but many a devastating fires have occurred due to improper Christmas tree care and maintenance. A live Christmas tree can become completely engulfed in flames within mere seconds and an entire room can be aflame in less than one minute!

WATER is the number one preventative measure in preventing a Christmas tree fire in your home. A dry tree is the worst kind of hazard. An average cut tree can “drink” up to a gallon of water a DAY. Did you know that HOT water is better for the tree than cold water? The warm water expands the trees water transporting arteries for more effective absorption.

ONE IN FIVE home Christmas tree fires is caused by placing a space heater too close to a tree. Combine a heat source and a dry tree and you could have trouble on your hands. The best place for a tree is in a corner where it cannot be knocked over. Keep space heaters away from the tree and always turn them OFF before leaving the room/home.

ONE IN FOUR home Christmas tree fires is caused by electrical issues. Common culprits are old, faulty cheap extension cords, lights and overcrowded outlets. It’s best to discard lights if any of the bulbs burn out and make sure that you are plugging into a surge protector and not creating an “octopus” in your wall outlet.

ONE IN 32 reported home Christmas tree fires results in a death compared to an average of one death per 143 reported home fires! These few extra steps can help ensure that your Christmas is a safe and joyful one.

From Our Families to Yours

Inspection Tech