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Be Bright About Holiday Tree, Pet Safety
Tribune file photo
Always turn off all Christmas lights and decorations before going to bed or leaving the house.
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Published: December 3, 2008
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Take these precautions to protect yourself and your pets before your decorate for the holidays.
LIGHTS
When shopping for lights, electric decorations and extension cords, purchase only those that are UL-Listed.
If you're planning to decorate outdoors, make sure you use lights and decorations that are rated for outdoor use. Putting indoor-only products outside in the weather can result in electric shock and fire hazards.
If you're in doubt whether light strings are rated for indoor or outdoor use, check the color-coded UL mark on the product's package. A green holographic UL mark says, "indoors only, please," while a red one indicates that the product is safe for both indoor and outdoor use.
Whether they're brand-new out of the box or seasoned veterans from holidays past, inspect all lights, electric decorations and extension cords for signs of damage to wire insulation, plugs and bulbs. If the damage can be repaired (i.e. broken bulbs replaced), do not use the item until the repair has been made. If cords and plugs are damaged, discard and replace the decoration.
Always unplug lights before changing bulbs, replacing fuses or making any other repairs. Mark burned-out bulbs with masking tape so you can find them.
If you need to replace a bulb in a string of Christmas lights, make sure the wattage rating of the replacement bulb you're using matches that of the light strand. Using a bulb with too high a wattage can cause the light string to overheat, creating a fire risk.
When hanging Christmas lights outdoors, reduce your risk of electric shock by passing up metal ladders in favor of ladders made of non-conductive materials such as wood or fiberglass-reinforced plastic.
Only use lights and decorations in accordance with manufacturers' instructions.
Before you begin decorating, verify how many strands of lights it is safe to connect end-to-end. (As a general rule, it's three).
Before you start plugging in, find out the wattage rating of your extension cord, as well as the power requirements of any lights or decorations you're planning to plug into it. A wattage rating is the amount of electricity that an extension cord is built to carry, and if the combined power requirements (or "pull") of your lights and decorations exceed that rating, overheating and fire can occur.
Ever so often, check Christmas light wires to make sure they're not warm to the touch.
Always turn off all Christmas lights and decorations before going to bed or leaving the house.
Source: www.cableorganizer.com
TREE
Unless you want to stand guard over your Christmas tree from now until the holidays are over, consider these precautions to protect your pets:
To keep your pet from drinking the water in the tree stand, hide it with a tree skirt (a white sheet or festive tablecloth will do).
Vacuum frequently to keep needles off the floor and furniture. They can become lodged in your pet's throat.
Tape electrical cords to the floor and cover with the tree skirt, or tape them to the wall. That way, they won't become a plaything and your pet won't be tempted to chew them.
Consider using a garland or popcorn strings instead of tinsel, which can choke your pet.
Keep decorations that might be harmful to pets high off the ground. Those include ornaments (especially those with hooks), ribbons, poinsettias, holly, mistletoe and anything chocolate.
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