Water your Christmas tree daily and keep it away from hazards

If your family prefers a real Christmas tree tradition, be sure to water yours every day because dry needles and wood catch fire more easily. In fact, never allow your tree stand to be empty of water and have two inches cut from the trunk to allow for better water absorption. Be sure you place the Christmas tree away from fire hazards such as any candles, electric space heaters, or fireplaces.

Inspect all electrical decorations for damage before use

Cracked or damaged sockets, loose or bare wires, and loose connections can all cause a serious shock or start a fire.  Inspect all of your decorations prior to adorning your home with them.

Schedule packages to be delivered when you will be home

Online shopping is a convenient way to knock out your Christmas shopping and avoid busy retail stores, but it comes at some risks. Porch Pirates prey on homes where packages remain on the porch during the day. Choose a delivery time for Santa’s helpers to arrive when you know you will be home.

Secure your home from possible break-ins

With gifts under the tree and holiday traveling leaving homes unoccupied, home burglaries are a real concern this time of year. Invest in quality home security measures such as quality door locks or smart technology home protection devices.

Be prepared for a kitchen fire and don’t use a deep fryer indoors

No holiday celebration would be complete without a feast but be sure to take precautions against kitchen fires when you’re cooking and baking. That includes keeping children and flammable items such as grocery bags and kitchen towels away from the stove and oven. If you’re deep-frying a turkey, be sure to use it outside but keep the fryer well away from structures and trees. (Also, make sure you fully defrost the turkey before putting it in the fryer.)

Detach hoses from spigots on the outside of your home

With the snow and cold temps here to stay, be sure and detach all hoses from spigots outside of your home. Why? The water inside the hose can freeze and push frozen water back into your pipes which can then cause cracking and possible flooding in your home.

Warm-up your car outside – not in the garage

It’s highly dangerous to warm up your car inside the garage – even if the garage door is open. Experts say carbon monoxide fumes from your garage can easily spread into your home.

Invest in a carbon monoxide detector and know the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning

Fatal carbon monoxide poisonings increase during the winter months as the heating systems continuously run. Equip your home with a carbon monoxide detector and be sure all family members know carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms as carbon monoxide is both invisible and odorless.

Turn off Christmas lights before bed

Save yourself the high electric bills and give yourself peace of mind; turn off all Christmas lights when you go to bed at night.

Use floor mats inside and outside of entryways

Floor mats inside and outside of entryways prevent ice, snow, and salt from entering your home and more importantly, may prevent friends and family from a slip and fall.

Envirocon wishes you and yours a very merry and safe holiday season!