Holly, mistletoe, and poinsettias are toxic to dogs and cats when ingested. Festive favorites can seriously harm your pets.Ī cat might see shiny tinsel as a toy, but a single strand can become tangled in his intestines, causing serious damage. Debris could cause slips and falls, and pets and little kids might end up playing with (or worse, eating) stuff they shouldn't be.Ħ. "Be on the lookout for loose ornament hooks and sweep up fallen tree needles as often as you can," Forte suggests. With guests coming-and-going and a surplus of decor you don't typically display, you may not notice something on the floor. Pay extra attention to floors this time of year - even if you haven't just broken something. Then, sweep the space and go over it with a vacuum cleaner. "You can use a moist piece of white bread to pick up the little shards," she adds. Known for your butter fingers?If you drop a glass ornament and it breaks, pick up the big pieces and wrap them in newspaper or a paper towel before throwing them in the garbage, says Forte.
Safety tip of the day funny professional#
"And have a professional come out at least once a year to inspect the chimney," Forte adds.ĥ. Put the ashes in a metal bin that's at least 25 feet away from the house.
.jpg "safety tip of the day funny")
Make sure the fire is out and the embers have cooled before you leave the house or go to bed. "And don't burn wrapping paper, because it can contain metallic materials that could be hazardous to breathe in," says Artuso. They can also cause a build-up of creosote, a highly flammable compound, in the chimney. Greenery and tree needles burn much faster than logs, creating sparks, which can fly into the room or onto the roof. "Don't try to burn evergreens or wreaths in a fireplace or wood stove," says Amy Artuso, program manager for the National Safety Council. Never toss anything but logs into your fireplace. "The bathroom is particularly worrisome because people go in and out, and hand towels get moved around a lot," says Carolyn Forte, director of the Cleaning Lab at the GHI.Ĥ. So, if you have a three-inch candle, it shouldn't burn for more than three hours.Īnd never leave lit candles in a room that's unattended. Trim wicks to a quarter of an inch before you light them and only let candles burn for one hour for every inch of diameter, so the wax can melt evenly. Keep lit candles at least 12 inches away from surrounding objects. In one five-year study, the NFPA found that 52% of decoration-related fires were started by candles. Sure, they set a glowy holiday mood, but lit flames and Christmas decorations don't exactly mix. Candles are pretty, but they're still open flames.ĭecember is the peak time of year for candle-related house fires, says the NFPA. Yes, even the ones on your tree in the bay window.ģ. Even if you've followed all of these precautions, you should still unplug all indoor lights when you leave the house. If you're using old lights, check the wires to make sure there are no signs of fraying or cracking.
"You never want to connect more than three strings of lights in one series," says Rothman.Īlways look for the UL symbol when buying electrical items and pay attention to its color: Green means it's approved for indoor use, and red means it can be used indoors and outdoors. Check the lights' packaging for the power output and never plug in more than what a power strip or outlet says it can handle.
Fake Christmas Tree Debate »Īs much as you may want to cover every inch of your house with twinklers, you may have to scale back depending on your outlets. And choose a sturdy stand so the tree won't tip over. "Your stand should have a water reservoir that can hold one quart of water per inch of the stem's diameter," says Rachel Rothman, the Good Housekeeping Institute's technical and engineering director. If you have a real tree, remember to keep it watered the drier the tree, the more easily it could ignite. Keep your tree at least three feet away from all heat sources (like fireplaces, radiators, and heat vents). Tree fires aren't super common, but when they do happen, they're more likely to be serious. Your tree is a fire risk - even if it's fake.Įach holiday season, fire departments respond to an average of 210 Christmas tree fires nationally, reports the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
Safety tip of the day funny how to#
Here's how to keep your family safe and healthy through to the New Year.ġ. The holiday season is a magical time, but Christmas traditions, decor, and celebrations can lead to accidents (or worse) if you're not careful.
0 kommentar(er)
