Does LED Lighting Cause Holiday House Fires?

It’s easy to forget about safety when you’re decking the halls but it’s been statistically proven that house fires are more likely to occur during the winter months than any other time of the year. Due to this, it is highly important that you follow all safety precautions during the holiday season to keep your home safe from potential fires. 

Most people believe that LED lighting is the main cause of house fires but there are actually many others. For more details on the most common causes of holiday house fires and how to prevent them, keep reading below!

7 Causes of House Fires

During the holidays, the last thing you want to do is worry about fires. However, it’s something that happens often and it usually has something to do with our decorations and festivities. Below are the 7 most common causes of holiday house fires and how you can prevent them in your own home.

Candles

We all love those delicious-smelling candles placed throughout the house, especially the ones that smell like freshly-baked cookies. However, they can be a serious danger to your home and family. While they’re beautiful and make your home smell wonderful, they can pose real dangers if left unattended or in places that pets/small children can leave them. 

Therefore, it’s really important that candles are placed on higher surfaces away from prying hands and paws, as well as flammable objects like curtains. You should also never leave candles burning in rooms where there is no one to look after it. This most definitely applies to when you leave home!

Fireplaces

There is nothing better than a warm fire on a cold winter evening, but any open flame has the potential to spread to other rooms of the house. If you have a fire in your fireplace often, it is highly recommended that you do so only if you are going to be minding it attentively. 

Don’t ever light a fire in your fireplace and then leave it unattended. Fires can spread quickly with a simple, gentle breeze. Also, make sure that there is a way for the smoke to clear, or else your fire alarm will sound and your house will fill with smoke. 

Cooking

Don’t leave the turkey in the oven too long! Studies have shown that holiday cooking accidents are a leading cause of house fires. These include overcooking foods in the oven, leaving the burners on when using the stove, and other general incidents relating to heat and flammable objects. 

Regardless of what you’re cooking in the kitchen, always make sure you’re keeping an eye on the food. Make sure that you’re turning all burners off once you’re done with them and keeping paper, linen, and clothing away from hot surfaces.

Heaters

Sometimes, there’s a chill in the air that you just can’t get rid of. That’s why a lot of families invest in space heaters. They are great for small, cold spaces that don’t get heat from the HVAC unit but they are also dangerous if misused. 

Don’t ever leave a heater on in a room by itself. You should also never cover them or hide them behind furniture. While most of them have tip settings and automatic timers, they can still overheat easily and cause a fire to spread quickly. 

Trees

The Christmas tree is a beautiful decoration but it can cause a serious fire hazard if not cared for properly. If you have a real tree, it’s easy for them to become dehydrated. This can make the pine needles dry out and flammable. If you have a fake tree, the needles are already made of plastic so they can catch fire easily at any time.

Due to these factors, you should never put a Christmas tree in a space where it can come in contact with fire (near candles or fireplaces.) You should also make sure that the lights are all safe and not at risk of blowing. This can easily be done by checking the strands personally before putting them on the tree and making sure they are plugged in properly.

Electrical wiring

It might seem obvious to plug all of your string lights together and just plug them in wherever. However, electrical wiring issues are a major cause of holiday house fires, especially when it comes to misuse of electrical sockets. 

Always check the wattage of items and lights before plugging them into a socket. If you feel like you’re overloading an outlet, chances are, you probably are!

Christmas lights

Last but not least, Christmas lights are a common, major cause of holiday house fires. They can catch trees on fire, or house siding. They can even overload the entire electrical system, causing a power surge that may create sparks.

To make sure you’re using light strings correctly, look at the specs. Light strings come with specifications for how many can be safely strung together before meeting their max capacity. Just look at the packaging or go off of standard wattage rules

And there you have it – 7 common causes of holiday house fires. While the holidays are a great time for decor and celebration, they can be dangerous if you don’t plan and prepare correctly. 

Gazing at your lovely twinkling holiday lights, it might seem difficult to believe that they can cause so much damage and injury. But as many unfortunate homeowners have learned the hard way, holiday lights can indeed wreak havoc on unsuspecting victims. 

This is not to say that holiday or Christmas lights should be banned or avoided. Most can generally be used safely without incident if sufficient care and appropriate precautions are taken. 

Even so, these lights can pose a safety hazard in the home. Awareness of the risks and how to safeguard against them are essential for preventing disaster. 

The biggest threats posed by Christmas light use are fires and electrical shock. Both can be serious incidents that could result in property damage and severe injuries, possibly even death. 

How common are these incidents? From 2014 to 2018, fire departments in the United States responded to 160 holiday fires. According to the National Fire Protection Association, these incidents resulted in 14 injuries and two deaths. They also caused property damage amounting to $10 million. 

Altogether, incidents involving lights, lighting equipment, and electrical distribution systems accounted for over 45% of household fires during the holiday season. This alone is a compelling indicator of the threat that holiday lights pose to people and property. 

Is it safe to leave Christmas lights on all night?

Christmas lights should be turned off at night or when leaving the house for extended periods of time to be safe.

Can Christmas lights cause house fires?

Yes, Christmas lights can start house fires. To be safe you should follow manufacturer guidelines and turn off lights when not in use.

Preventing Fires and Other Incidents 

Now that you have an idea of the dangers that holiday lights pose, how do you safeguard against them? Here are a few suggestions to keep in mind: 

Turn Lights Off When Away for Extended Periods 

You don’t have to turn your lights off every time you leave the house. But it might be a good idea to do so if you’re going to be away overnight or longer. This could prevent a fire from occurring when you aren’t around to do something about it. 

Keep Open Flame Away From Christmas Trees 

Christmas trees and other decorations should be kept away from open flames. This means no candles or fireplaces nearby. It is generally best to maintain at least three feet of distance from open flames. 

Use Properly-Rated Lights 

Cheap holiday lights are cheap for a reason. They usually aren’t tested or properly rated, and may pose a safety risk. If the lights don’t have a seal or logo from a reputable product safety testing organization such as Underwriter’s Laboratory or Intertek, it might be better to avoid them. 

Discard Lights With Frayed Wires 

Holiday lights are so inexpensive that there really isn’t a good reason to keep using them if the wires are broken, stripped, or frayed. If you detect any signs of damage, stop using the lights and replace them with a new set immediately. 

Use Indoor and Outdoor Lights Appropriately 

Despite their similarities, indoor and outdoor lights aren’t interchangeable. Always use lights for the application they were designed for. Outdoor lights are better suited for cold and wet conditions, while indoor lights are better suited for decorating the inside of your house. 

Keep Sharp Objects Away From Lights 

Avoid hanging your lights up with tack, nails, staples, or other sharp metal objects. These can punch holes through the wire insulation and increase the risk of fire or electrical shock. It would be better to use plastic holders that you can buy from home supply stores. 

Handle Extension Cords With Care 

Most safety precautions involving wires and power cables apply to extension cords as well. Avoid overloading them and subjecting them to overly rigorous use. Keep them away from sharp metal objects and don’t run them where they can be stepped on or chewed on by pets. 

Avoid Connecting Too Many Light Strands 

Find out how many light strands you can connect safely and stay below the limit. This information should be printed on the packaging or may be available from the manufacturer’s website. Remember that the safety threshold for incandescent lights is three or four strings at most. With LED lights, you could generally string together up to 50 mini-light strands safely. 

These are only some of the ways you can avoid fires and electric shocks when using holiday lights. Keep them in mind and you can ensure your family’s safety throughout the year. 

Don’t wait too long – give us a call today to place your order before Santa arrives!