Tis the season for house fires!

Look at all those holiday shoppers milling around the stores. Shoving each other to get the best deals on TV's and gaming consoles. The joy of the holiday season is upon us people!
As we spend our weekends decorating the house with lights and seasonal decor it's good to keep in mind that it is also house fire season. This is the time of the year where home insurance fire claims have a seasonal flair. From tree lights igniting a dry Christmas tree, to decorative holiday candles falling over, ovens getting used for the first time in months, wood fires sending flying embers onto the carpet. There are a lot of seasonal hazards to be aware of.
The important thing to remember is that you can help limit the risks by just being careful. Once your tree is dry and crispy you can keep it up. But, just unplug the lights until you have time to remove the tree from the house. Make sure your smoke detectors are in working order and have new batteries. Have a fire extinguisher on hand and know where it is and how to use it.  If you haven't looked at the directions in awhile here's a website to check out. Not to mention I love the website name;
https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/how-to-use-a-fire-extinguisher/
Ah, having a pine scented candle burning near your non piney tree can add a nice touch to your home. Just be aware what is near the flame. I'm not saying anyone would do this but... don't go putting your pine scented candle next to your tree. We can still get the effect by not lighting the tree on fire. Put the candles away from the stuffed Santa's. Don't sit it next to the Elf on a Shelf. Give the candles space to burn without lighting any neighboring decor on fire.
Having a nice wood fire in the fireplace this time of the year looks and feels great. Getting your toes warmed by the flame is always comforting. Just make sure you operate your fireplace safely. Use a fireplace grate to hold the wood in place. You don't want a stacked piece of wood rolling out of the fireplace. Use your metal mesh screen. That will help keep embers from flying out and if a log were to roll it would help stop it inside the fireplace not on the family room floor. If you haven't had the chimney cleaned in awhile you might want to get it checked out too to avoid chimney fires. Leave your embers in the fireplace until they are fully out. There have been many tragic fires from people putting still warm embers in the trash can that lead to a house fire.
Make sure your oven is clean and operating properly. Old grease dried out pieces of food can light on fire in the oven. 
Lets get through the holidays without needing to file a home insurance claim people. They are no fun and you don't want to move out during the holidays. If you need some home insurance give me a call at 951-395-0754