The holidays are an exciting time of year. Decorations go up, family comes to visit, and food is abundant. Although it’s a time for celebration, it’s important to be aware of common holiday hazards that present dangers to you and the people around you.
Whether it is at a holiday work party or in your home, be on the lookout for the common fire, mold, and water hazards that could put you or your guests’ health at risk this holiday season.
Keep Your Home or Business Safe From Fire, Mold, and Water Hazards This Holiday Season
Fire Holiday Hazards
Lights strung up around the office and throughout your home coupled with other electric-powered decorations can put a strain on your festivities without you even realizing. Overuse of outlets, frayed wires, and broken connections can cause sparks or power outages. The heat caused by electric-powered decorations can also prove dangerous when paired with flammable material. When you are decorating for the holidays this year, regulate how many decorations you plug into a single outlet, what type of bulb you use as some are safer than others, and what material the decorations will be surrounded by.
Having open flames is another fire hazard that comes with the spirited season. Many people burn candles, cook on the stove or grill, and light fires for a festive atmosphere. It’s important to always watch open flames carefully and keep an up-to-date fire extinguisher in an arm’s reach at all times to avoid a fire hazard this year.
Mold Holiday Hazards
Live plants are commonly found in homes and businesses during the holiday season. The colors that trees and flowers provide can be refreshing to look at in the winter but they bring their own risks. Not only can pollen be a problem for those with allergies but plants can also bring in mold spores. Be sure to clean and inspect your plants before bringing them inside your home or business to avoid spreading allergens and mold spores.
Holiday decorations that have been packed away for the past year also run the risk of being covered in mold. Cleaning your decorations and investing in an air filter can help prevent mold from spreading throughout your home and becoming a more serious problem. If you do find mold on your decorations, calling a mold remediation company will ensure you find the source of the mold and that it is remediated effectively and safely throughout your entire home or business.
Water Holiday Hazards
Many people vacation for the holidays while businesses close for several days. A risk to your home or business during this time away is water pipes freezing and bursting. When you leave for extended periods of time and turn off all electricity, you run the risk of allowing the pipes in your home and business to freeze. Water from burst pipes can severely damage your home and lead to flooding.
Without immediate attention to the water, the flooding can quickly turn into a mold problem as well. Your return from the holiday break can leave you with several significant problems.
To avoid freezing pipes that can cause a holiday disaster, leave the heat on a low setting in your home or business to keep the pipes working correctly. You should also consider leaving a faucet on and set to a slow drip as this will keep water flowing through your pipes and prevent your pipes from freezing completely.
Taking these precautions this holiday season can help ensure your festivities stay enjoyable and safe. If you do run into a fire, mold, or water hazard this year, call a remediation specialist company that deals with all three hazards. A comprehensive remediation company will be able to address any fire, mold, or flooding hazard properly and safely while also taking the extra step in providing information on the incident and how to avoid it in the future.
To restore your property after an incident has occurred, call Clear Restoration for professional assistance.
