Holiday Tips for Electrical Safety

The holiday season has arrived and your clients and contacts may be getting ready to decorate their homes for the holidays. If your clients are gearing up to go all out, be prepared to offer some guidance to help them stay safe as they decorate.

As their real estate agent, you might be able to provide some tips that will keep them (and their home) safe during the holidays – especially if they're thinking about selling their home or if their home is currently on the market.

In the Home

If someone you know is planning to get and decorate a real tree, they should choose the freshest tree possible to help avoid electrical fires from overheated Christmas lights. They can check the tree's freshness by bending the branches. A fresher tree's limbs won't break or snap when bent.

Not only should your clients select a tree that is fresh, they should be mindful of the lights they place on the tree to avoid electrical fires. If the wires on the lights are damaged, the lights should be replaced with new lights. Another way to keep safe with lights in the home during the holidays is to turn the lights off when they are not home or when they go to sleep for the evening. This will help prevent any shorts or shocks from lights becoming overheated or running for too long.

Outdoor Lights and Decorations

Outdoor lights and decorations can be a lot of fun to look at. When your clients begin to put up their outdoor lights, recommend they only use outdoor lights. Yes, there is a difference between indoor and outdoor lights.

Outdoor lights are made with thicker wrapping around the electrical wires to withstand tougher conditions than what they would face if they were used indoors. Indoor lights are made with much thinner wire because they are not exposed to outdoor elements. Another thing that your clients should focus on when they are putting their lights up outside is to use insulated hooks. Using insulated hooks instead of screws or nails can help prevent an electrical emergency if a light strand surges.

Discard Old Cords

Finally, your clients should check any extension cords that they will be using to power their decorations. We've already mentioned checking the cords on the lights, but focus on extension cords and cords of decorations that will be placed outdoors. Any extension cords that are damaged should be discarded and replaced with new cords.

Don't Overload

Ideally, homeowners could connect all their lights and decorations to a single plug. However, that just can't happen. Many electrical issues during the holidays occur from homeowners plugging too many things into a power strip or an extension cord. Let your clients know they should pay attention to the wattage on their cords and power strips. If they are overloaded, they have the chance to overheat and potentially cause a fire.

The holidays are a great time of year for both you and your clients. By being safe with lighting and decorations, your clients are sure to have a great holiday season. You might still find yourself working on a listing during the holidays. If you do, we have some staging tips for the holidays that should be great for your business. You can download our Winter Staging Checklist for some tips on staging a home listed for sale during the holidays.

To view the original article, visit the Homes.com blog.