Christmas Tree Safety by Fort Lauderdale Electrician

Corporate restroom. Shot with Canon 30D and Canon 24-105L lens.

Corporate restroom. Shot with Canon 30D and Canon 24-105L lens.

Living in Florida means snow isn’t likely to make an appearance—at least we hope not. To get into the holiday spirit, a few extra lights and a lot of décor can help give the appearance of a holiday wonderland. However, before you start pulling out strands of lights and putting them inside and outside your home, there are some things you should consider before you add them to that tree. An electrician in Fort Lauderdale has some tips to help keep you safe when you start stringing the lights. You can call Elcon Electric if you have additional questions or need the expertise of an electrician.

Trees should be healthy and not have dry fronds. If you have gotten a real tree for inside, keep it well watered. It is best to wait until 10 to 14 days before the big day before getting your tree. Otherwise, the tree will be very dry by Christmas. Lights, even the LEDs, produce enough heat to spark a fire if left on for long periods of time explains a Fort Lauderdale electrician. Consider putting the lights on a timer to ensure they are only on a couple of hours each night. Never leave lights on while you are gone or overnight.

Although you are probably not running your heater a lot, don’t place a live tree next to a heat source. This will dry out the tree faster and can turn your tree into tinder. Another concern is the number of lights you have plugged into a single outlet. Overloading an outlet or an extension cord can result in the lights shorting out explains an electrician. Fort Lauderdale residents who need additional outlets or are not sure whether their current electric panel can handle their lighting demands can give Elcon Electric a call.