Festive seasons are about celebrating joyous moments, but not at the cost of your safety. As you light up your space to dive into the festive mood, it is important you take necessary precautions to avoid any electrical mishaps.
The chances of such mishaps increase during the festive seasons, and avoiding them comes from making safety provisions. In this post, we’ll share a few tips on proactively setting the stage for festive decorations while staying safe from the sudden accidents happening due to electrical faults.
A festive season means outdoor activities, which means potential electrical threats to commercial property and security systems. Electrical installations at festivals and events include wire systems, power gadgets on stages, concession tents, living quarters, extension cords, and power boards at homes. These are the ones that mainly cause mishaps. The Office of the Technical Regulator inspects electrical installations for commercial security systems in Melbourne to ensure that they are safe. The following are some of the most typical electrical problems usually addressed:
- Overhead electrical wiring
- Putting in cables, such as extension cords
- Clearances for festoon and decorative lighting
You can take note of these signs and stay alert. To avoid electrical mishaps and ensure commercial security systems in Melbourne, you must take note of some essential tips.
Tips To Maintain Electrical Safety
1. Make a Light Check
The experts of commercial security systems in Melbourne suggest dismantling plug-in decorations and string lights. After plugging them in, check for burned-out lights, frayed wiring, and broken bulbs. Before you start decorating, unplug the lights and replace the bulbs.
2. Ensure Ladder Safety
If you’re going to climb a ladder, make sure you take the necessary safety precautions. Never stand on the second-to-last step, and ensure your ladder is securely positioned. When utilising a ladder, if feasible, have someone with you.
3. Check Weather Conditions
To light up the festive vibe, everyone generally puts up decorations outside. But before you do so, see if it’s not snowing, raining, or icy; try to avoid decorating the outer part of your home in such weather as the wiring might get affected. Don’t avoid such weather signs because, in some cases, they can affect commercial security systems in Melbourne and result in causing havoc.
4. Avoid Overloading Outlets
Remember not to overload one electrical outlet with too many cords. It is one of the biggest electrical threats to commercial security systems in Melbourne. Overloading the outlets might cause overheating, leading to fire hazards, even in the dead of winter. Don’t use one outlet for more than two electrical connections to avoid overloading.
5. Switch Off the Lights
When you’re not at home or don’t need to use the lights, turning off the electrical decorations is good for saving energy and avoiding dangerous overheating. Check to see if your decorations have timers and if they have, make good use of them by switching them off when not needed. It will reduce overheating, which is the leading cause of electrical mishaps in commercial security systems in Melbourne during the festive season.
6. Check On Your Christmas Tree
The experts of commercial security systems in Melbourne say that Christmas trees are known to cause 210 house fires each year! If you’re buying an artificial tree this year, be sure it says “fire-resistant” on the label. It suggests that the tree is less likely to become overheated than others. Remove your tree from any heat sources at least 3 to 4 feet away. Use string lights or electronic ornaments sparingly if you have an artificial tree with metallic pine needles. When buying a real tree, see if it is fresh or not, and never buy a dry one!
7. Use LEDs
Although classic incandescent lights are traditional and can make you feel nostalgic, did you know that they produce more heat and consume more energy than LED lights? If not, you need to consider switching to save money while also reducing the risk of fire or overheating.
8. Don’t Use Candles
The flicker of a flame is pleasant, but if you can avoid using actual wax or soy candles, do so. If you want to have a lot of candles in the house, consider battery-operated ones instead. Apart from overheating, using candles is also one of the major causes of electrical mishaps.
9. Install GFCIs
Ground-fault circuit interrupters should be used for any outdoor decorations (GFCIs). The balance of electrical current flowing across a circuit is accurately monitored by a GFCI. The GFCI switches off the electricity instantly if it goes where it shouldn’t, such as in short. If you don’t have these in your home, you may buy portable ones at any electrical supply store. The commercial security systems in Melbourne strictly direct us to get GFCIs during the festive season.
10. Remove decorations
Because decorations are only temporary, you can take them down after the holidays (no later than the first week in January) to extend the life of your décor and maintain the safety of your home. Before packing up your lights and cords, inspect them and store electrical decorations in a dry location so that you can use them again in the next season.
To Conclude,
While the festive year brings a wave of joy and happiness, it also causes an increase in electrical hazards that can make our lives miserable if not handled with care. To ensure a happy festive season and avoid electrical accidents, you must follow the tips mentioned above. Or, get in touch with Direct Electrical Point Pty Ltd. and get your festive electrical services done by us safely. The certified team of electricians will make sure to deliver you perfect electrical solutions. So, are you ready to have the best festive season with the best decor solutions?
