Here Are 3 Ways To Celebrate Safely This Halloween

Halloween decorations are a must in the fall but so is electrical safety. When decorations spend the better part of a year in storage, homeowners must check them before hanging them up. This goes for Halloween yard decorations as well. Damaged cords can increase the risk of an electrical fire in the home, so homeowners must not use any decorations with damaged cords or wiring. Whether light-up decorations or Halloween inflatables, safety must always come first. Continue reading for three tips to stay safe this Halloween!

Always Inspect Before Decorating

Checking for faulty wiring, damaged cords, and any other damage to the electrical Halloween decorations is vital! If homeowners don’t learn anything else from this article, they must understand this because doing so can save their homes from a potential electrical fire.

Typically, any damage will be noticeable at first glance, but homeowners are encouraged to be thorough in their search. After all, one can’t be too careful about electricity. If the wires show any of the following signs, it’s best to retire the decorations permanently:

• The wire looks frayed or sticks out randomly.
• The cord covering is coming off.
• When the decoration is plugged in, the lights flicker, or the decoration doesn’t work properly.
• The decoration makes weird noises when it’s plugged in.

It’s best for homeowners to check the decoration before ever plugging it in. If the cords look fine, homeowners may plug in the decoration to check if it doesn’t work properly, is flickering, or making odd noises. These signs indicate damage within the decoration and should be immediately unplugged and thrown out.

Plan Out Plug-Ins

Homeowners are recommended to plan where they will place their decorations according to their outlets, first and foremost. Yes, design plays a huge part in where homeowners like to put their decorations, but safety is always the priority with electricity. Overloading outlets is extremely dangerous and something to be avoided at all costs. Signs of an overloaded outlet include:

• Lights dimming or flickering
• Sparking
• The outlet feels warm to the touch
• A blown fuse

Regarding decoration placement, homeowners also need to keep mother nature in mind. Yes, some decorations can handle a bit of rain, but it’s best to keep all electrical decorations as dry as possible. The same can be said for flooding. If homeowners have an area in their home prone to flooding, no decorations should be plugged into outlets that are subject to flooding.

Surge Protectors 

If homeowners don’t have any installed, investing in surge protectors is an important step in home safety. It’s recommended that all homes have surge protectors regardless of their decorative habits, but they can also help protect electrical decorations and any other devices and appliances that use outlets.

The main benefit of surge protectors is that they can prevent electrical fires during a power surge. Another advantage is that they protect devices, fixtures, and appliances from spikes in voltage that could ruin them.  A power surge can cause whatever is plugged in to fry and no longer work. This is also how electrical fires start. With these tips, homeowners can have a safe and festive Halloween!

Korte Does It All Keeps Families Safe

Korte Does It All is a family-owned company serving Fort Wayne, IN, and the surrounding areas since 1965. They offer fast response times and are always available to take calls no matter the time. Call them today for electrical services in Fort Wayne, IN.