A Texas Guide To Electrical Safety Checks This Holiday Season

For most of us, the holiday season is the time of year when our homes get a lot busier, with more lights, extra cooking, visiting family, and a whole house full of decorations to contend with.

When the run-up to Christmas is already so busy, checking the electrical safety of your home is probably not at the top of your to-do list. But following these simple checks can help you reduce the risk of electrical problems when your household gets even busier.

1. Check Your Holiday Lights Before You Plug Them In

Before you start hanging up the decorations, inspect each set of lights to see if there's any damage to the wires, cracked sockets, loose connections, or broken plugs. If you find that they're damaged, don't use them. Replacing a set that's broken is smarter than trying to fix it with some sticky tape.

The National Fire Protection Association offers some great advice on holiday decoration safety and keeping your Christmas tree away from heat sources.

2. Check Your Smoke Alarms Before the Holiday Period

Smoke alarms are a great way to give your family an early warning if there's a fire, so test them before the holiday period and follow the manufacturer's instructions for replacing batteries or the entire unit.

The U.S. Fire Administration says that you should have a smoke alarm in every bedroom, outside every separate sleeping area, and on every level of the home, and that you should test them every month. If your alarms aren't working, replace the batteries if you need to, and check the manufacturer's instructions for any guidance on what to do next.

3. Take a Look at Your Electrical Panel and Circuit Breakers

Your electrical panel is what keeps power flowing around your home, and your circuit breakers are there to protect the circuits in case of an electrical fault or overload.

If a breaker keeps tripping, it might be a sign that a circuit is overloaded, or that one of your appliances has developed a fault. If it keeps tripping, don't keep resetting it without finding out why! Get a qualified electrician to come and take a look.

You shouldn't try to fix any electrical issues yourself. Local businesses like Lucky Electrical Services can send around a qualified electrician to come and sort out any problems you might have.

4. Be Careful with Your Portable Heaters

When the temperature drops in Texas, you might reach for a portable heater as a quick solution to warm up your home. But before you use one, take a look at its cable and plug to make sure it's still in good working condition, place it on a stable surface, and keep it away from curtains, bedding, furniture, and decorations.

You should always plug portable heaters directly into a wall outlet unless the manufacturer's instructions say otherwise, and don't leave them running unattended or when you're going to bed. If you use electric blankets or heated throws, check their condition and follow the manufacturer's instructions, too.