Halloween Fire Safety Tips

10/29/2020 (Permalink)

Anytime there's an excuse to dress up at work, SERVPRO of Hunt Valley Harford County loves to really go all out. It's not uncommon to see a few of us here wearing demon horns or witch hats as early as October 1st. So, when it comes to Halloween, we don't mess around. In fact, a lot of us here deck out our houses with huge rigs of lights, animatronic skeletons, fog machines, speakers, you name it. What does all of this require? Tons of electricity and that can take your relatively safe Halloween night into an actual nightmare. So what precautions can you take to ensure the safety of your house and still keep it spooky?

 

• What Are Your Decorations Made of?

Generally speaking, putting dried out hay bales or corn stalks next to open flames is not the best idea. Be sure to take into account what you're setting up and if it could be a hazard or not. One of the biggest culprits of this are paper bag luminaries.

• Try Swapping Flames for LEDS

While it's nice to have an open flame once in a while, if not properly watched, even something as simple as a jack o lantern can catch fire to something. Try swapping out your run-of-the-mill candles for some color-changing LEDs to not only spark up the action but make your set-up safer.

• Keep an eye on your costume

Some pieces of dress or costume can have long dangling threads or even just highly flammable material such as acrylic. Always check your surroundings to make sure there isn't an open flame near these materials that could accidentally light. If this does happen, however, always remember; Stop, Drop, and Roll.

• ALWAYS CHECK YOUR EQUIPMENT

Things like fog machines, chainsaws, and riding lawn mowers have a tendency to leak oil if not properly taken care of, always remember to check your gas caps before starting any gas powered equipment near an open flame.

• Remember to Test Your Electrical Outlets Before You Plug In

Especially those that are outside and exposed to the elements, even if "it worked fine last year" does not mean it will be safe again this year. Take the time to test your outlets and ensure that you're using the correct power outlets to prevent an electrical fire.  Along with this, a good "haunted house" can cost you OVER $281.32 A WEEK (according to electricchoice.com). That’s a LOT of watts, and you wouldn't want those running all night unsupervised.

Accident prevention is the key to making smart, calculated decisions that could cost you in the long run. We always strive to provide customers with solutions to everyday problems in hopes that they will never need our services again. We know how hard house fires can be for families and we will always be here to get people back on their feet in their time of need. If all else fails, remember, you can always call on your local SERVPRO for assistance.