Despite the cheery atmosphere and time spent with loved ones, the Christmas season is dangerous for homeowners. Christmas brings with it many unique activities that most Americans only engage in once per year, so the risk of injury remains high. Luckily, by knowing which activities can be potentially dangerous or inconvenient, you can take the necessary steps to keep yourself, your family, and your house safe this holiday season. Read on to avoid these holiday disasters.
Fire Risks During Christmas
House fires tend to increase during the holiday season for a few reasons. Cooking while distracted by a houseful of guests, some of which you have not seen all year, is a perfect recipe for a cooking disaster. Many homeowners forget to turn off a burner or forget about the cooking timer, leading to burnt food and fire risks. To combat this, assign at least one knowledgeable family to always be in the kitchen when food is being cooked. Entertaining guests in the kitchen is possible, but keeping an eye on the food should be the most critical task.
If you cook turkey for Christmas as well as Thanksgiving, this is one of the most common items that lead to fires. Turkeys are cooked in the oven over a long period of time, so you might forget to continue checking on it throughout the day. However, most turkey cooking accidents come with alternative cooking methods, such as fryers. When using a fryer to cook a turkey, it must be completely thawed to ensure no cold water mixes in large quantities with hot oil. This can lead to a massive explosion of hot oil all over your kitchen, covering walls, ceilings, and anyone unfortunate enough to be in the vicinity. This oil also has a slim chance of igniting flammable objects in the kitchen.
House fires can also occur due to faulty decorations or an electrical system overload. Because many Christmas decorations do not get much use in other parts of the year, they are often relegated to the attic, where their condition is not monitored or checked on. Before use, inspect your old lights and decorations to ensure they have no apparent defects, and use appropriate electrical systems and cords to power them.
Physical Injuries from Holiday Disasters During Christmas
Putting up and taking down Christmas decorations and lights leads to thousands of injuries per year, mainly caused by falls from high heights. If using a ladder to reach the roof or another high area, always have a partner on the ground to hold and stabilize the ladder. Even if you feel the stress of the holiday season, do not rush the process and only venture onto the roof when conditions are safe and free of any rain or water. Even with proper footwear, slipping is always a possibility, and Christmas decorations are not worth the danger to your life.
Crime Threats During Christmas
While you and your family enjoy the holidays, criminals might have different plans. The holiday season is an extremely busy time for thieves who steal packages from doorsteps. Installing a doorbell camera or monitor can help minimize the chance these criminals target you. It can be the difference between a fantastic Christmas and an awkward conversation about why all the presents are missing. Burglars also target houses they have noticed are vacant if the homeowners left to travel to relatives’ or friends’ places for the holidays. Do not post your holiday plans on public-facing social media accounts, and leave certain lights on the inside of the house to dissuade burglars from entering.
We sincerely hope that none of the above holiday disasters will occur – but if they do, having the right insurance policy in place can make all the difference. The Anderson & Associates Insurance Group team can help you determine the level of coverage you’ll need to protect your home and family properly. Don’t go into 2023 without being fully protected – call us today. (previous ending)
