Are you finished decorating your home for the holidays? If not, then you should do some careful planning before doing it. As a homeowner, you’ll want to take every precautionary measure to make sure that nothing terrible will happen, particularly during the holiday season.
Here are 5 (five) ways to maintain your HVAC safety when decorating for the holidays.
Keep Your Tree Away from Heat Sources
Your Christmas tree must be at least 30 feet away from your fireplace or other heating sources. It’s significant to have a fire extinguisher nearby because live trees are highly flammable when they start to dry out. Also, don’t forget to check the water level every other day to ensure it gets proper hydration.
If you don’t want to buy a live tree, we highly suggest buying a fake tree. If you do, you need to make sure that it’s labeled “fire-resistant.”
Prevent Tripping
You can prevent someone from falling or any similar accident by placing cords and decorations in low-traffic areas. That way, they won’t be walked on. When stringing lights and putting decorations above your average reach, make sure to use a proper ladder with someone supporting its base. If you’re decorating outside, keep your ladders and decorations away from overhead power lines.
Keep Your Vents Clear
With all those decorations, presents, and Christmas tree, there are plenty of extra items taking up space in your home during Christmas. It’s essential to make sure that nothing is blocking your air vents. If you leave them covered, they won’t do the job skillfully in keeping your home warm. It also makes your HVAC system work harder, costing you more on your energy bills in the future.
Double-Check Your Lights
Do your lights have frayed wires, broken sockets, or loose connections? If you do, you have to replace it. Christmas lights may not be a fire hazard, but you must avoid overloading extension cords and electrical sockets with tree light strands to prevent short circuits.
The lights that you have should be approved by Underwriters Laboratory (UL). The acronym “UL” will be displayed on the tag, signifying that it has undergone inspection for potential safety hazards. Red UL label means that the lights are safe for indoor or outdoor usage, while green UL indicates that the lights are only indoors.
Don’t Cover Your Thermostat
Holiday decorations do look great, but it’s significant not to get carried away. That’s because you might already be covering your thermostat in the process. When you do, your thermostat will have difficulty regulating the temperature in your home, resulting in discomfort and high heating costs.
Are you looking for professional advice or help? Don’t hesitate to call us at JR Michalski Heating & A/C. Our certified HVAC experts will promptly assist you during your time of need!
