Safeguarding Your Family from Electrical Hazards during the Holiday Season in Myrtle Beach, SC

12/28/2017

The holiday season in Myrtle Beach, SC comes with a lot of decorations-most of which involve dealing with lighting and wirings. Since it is just around the corner now, we thought of sharing some amazing tips to ensure your family’s safety from unwanted electrocutions and fires. Many of us come across videos of the Christmas tree catching fire on social media and believe that it is never going to happen to us. But it can and it will if you aren’t careful enough. Therefore, to avoid the need to call electricians in Myrtle Beach, SC, take note of these tips listed below. That way your house will be crowded with your loved ones during the holiday and not electricians in Myrtle Beach, SC, rewiring your house’s breakers and switchboards.

Just because the neighbors are putting up a 100 lights doesn’t mean you have to, too. Sure you feel the spirit of the season too but if you lack the resources that will be needed to light up your front garden, it is best to avoid doing so. Unless, of course, you want to give electricians in Myrtle Beach, SC some additional last-minute work before they sign out of their shift. Though they wouldn’t mind, it is still best if you avoid getting caught in something that will cost you extra.

1.     Don’t Overwork Outlets

This comes as safety tip #1 because this is the most common mistake homeowners make during Christmas. They overload their outlets without realizing how much it would cost if it burns down. An outlet has only two plugs for a reason. Trying to overwork it by sticking more than two in each outlet will of course heat it up. We often get carried away with all the festive lighting and forget this.

Power strips are the best alternative to avoid getting your outlets all packed up. They offer additional sockets to plug in lights while maintaining the voltage. However, it is still best to leave some outlets empty as they can consume too much energy at once. Many power strips come with an on and off switch. In case of an overload the power strip turns off, letting the homeowner know they had put too much pressure on it.

2.     Get Wiring Checked by Professional Electricians in Myrtle, SC

Before turning on any store-bought light, ensure that the wiring isn’t faulty. At times, the hurried packing of items damage or bend the wirings improperly, which rips off the rubber surrounding it. In such a case, lighting it up can cause a spark or even fire. Therefore it is best to check the wiring beforehand as you wouldn’t want your valuable furniture or curtains to get burnt.

Since homeowners use more power during the holiday season, the breaker can sometimes get overheated. Since it is located in the furthest corner of the house, homeowners don’t pay heed. It may start a fire without you realizing it until it’s too late.

Thus, whenever working with more power, have one of the best electricians in Myrtle Beach, SC inspect your power and how much it can take. Think about it, only a few minutes of inspection can save you from unwanted fires and ensure the safety of everyone in the house. After all, you wouldn’t want anything to ruin your kid’s Christmas night, would you?

Calling the finest of electricians in Myrtle Beach, SC will also leave you with some safety tips and what to do in case of a spark or fire. Always remember, sometimes a fire can be stopped by the tiniest of efforts. The best electricians in Myrtle Beach, SC will keep you well-informed and prepared.

3.     Don’t Forget Watering Your Christmas tree

As mentioned above, Christmas trees do catch fires. Since we bejewel it with so many ornaments that are lighted up using electricity, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that when these ornaments get overheated, they can start a fire. Wood is a flammable object. One way to prevent fires is watering the tree from time to time to keep it moist. The drier the wood, the more prone it becomes to catching a fire. Secondly, don’t give in to the temptation of cutting the tree trunk’s bottom part. The bottommost part is where the tree sucks most of the water.

On the other hand, if you invested in a pre-cut tree, don’t forget to put it in water as soon as you get it home. Once all set and decorated, be sure to keep adding some water from time to time in the tree stand so that the bottom remains damp.

Last (as a precaution) have all the ornaments checked for any faulty wiring with the best electricians in Myrtle Beach, SC to be extra-cautious. Even if you tell your kids not to go and touch the ornaments you can’t hold your pets from doing so. They may end up electrocuting themselves if care isn’t taken.

4.     Be careful with String lights

There is a limit as to how many string lights you can connect together before it turns into a safety risk for you and your family. What is the number, you ask? It is three. You should never connect more than three string lights together. Although, instructions by the manufacturer may suggest otherwise it is still a dandy tip to ensure safety.

If you are using old lights and don’t have the manual, contact the manufacturer or one of the best electricians in Myrtle Beach, SC firm to provide you with guidelines.

Did you know that you can only connect a certain number of light strings together before the whole thing becomes a safety hazard? The typical number of strings you can connect is three, but it varies based on length, type of light, and manufacturer. The box should give you instructions on safely connecting your lights, but if you can’t find information there then visit the manufacturer’s website. Make sure you can cover everything you need to with a safely connected string of lights. Otherwise, find longer strings or redesign how you’re decorating.

Secondly, if you notice any fused bulbs along the thread, don’t replace them while the lights are on. Furthermore, each bulb replacement is different based on which strand it is. Therefore, check before. If you aren’t too sure, take help of the best electricians in Myrtle Beach, SC to help replace any fused-out bulbs and improper wiring on your string lights.

Last, when hanging lights outdoor, get ones rated for outdoor-use. Unlike indoor lights, outdoor lights are designed to handle snow and rain. Neglecting the fact can cause a fire or power blackout as soon as the string comes in contact with moisture. Then, surely you will need to call the best electricians in Myrtle Beach, SC to reset your breaker and bring the power back.