Healthy Living
When Decorating for the Holidays, Consider Safety, Saving Energy and Money: Some Tips
|
With the holiday season upon us, neighborhoods are starting to twinkle with festive light displays inside and out. Here are some safety tips were recently announced by Eversource on lighting and the New Canaan Fire Marshal’s Office on other decorations, as well. (Darienite.com added the boldface, not to add urgency but to make the tips quicker to scan so you can concentrate on the ones you don’t already follow.)
FROM EVERSOURCE:
SAFETY
“Before putting up holiday decorations, it’s important to inspect them to ensure they’re not broken or damaged — check lighted displays for cracked sockets, frayed wires or loose connections,” said Ken Bogler, Eversource vice president of safety. “When decorating outside, we remind people to work from a stable surface and to always be aware of any power lines or other hazards that might be nearby.”
More Safety Tips:
Never run extension cords under rugs or coil them tightly, which can cause them to overheat
Water and electricity do not mix so keep outdoor connections off the ground
Check labels to ensure lights are used properly — outside light are labeled for outdoor use
All the parts of the lights need to be dampness and temperature-proof
Check extension cords for wear, and plug outdoor lights and decorations into GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlets
Use advanced power strips where possible for all holiday lighting to eliminate standby energy loss
SAVE ENERGY, SAVE MONEY
Customers can save money and protect the planet by replacing traditional incandescent lights with an energy-efficient light-emitting diode, or LED, holiday decoration. Not only do LEDs use 80 percent less energy than conventional bulbs, they last longer, and they are brighter and safer, as they are much cooler than incandescent lights.