Electrical Safety Tips for a Spooktacular Halloween
Halloween is officially around the corner! That means it’s time to decorate your home with all manner of spooky animatronics, décor, foggers, lights, and props that you can use to decorate the interior and exterior of your house this time of year. Along with this new level of appeal comes a new level of safety hazards. To ensure your Halloween goes smoothly for your family, NEC wants you to know the precautions you should take to safely power your spooky decorations.
Plan ahead.
Before decorating, count the number of outlets available and take note of where they are located so you can plan your displays accordingly. This will allow for a safe distribution of use among different outlets and prevent you from having strings of lights & extension cords stretching across the floor or yard. Those are both huge hazards that can be avoided by planning.
Inspect your decorations.
Carefully look over all of your decorations. Any bare wires, damaged sockets, or loose connections could cause very serious shocks or start fires. According to the National Fire Protection Association, about one-third of the house fires involving decorative lighting were caused by electrical failures or malfunctions. You can prevent it by simply taking the time to inspect.
Use them in appropriate locations.
Outdoor lights are made for outdoor use, and indoor lights are made for indoor use. It’s really important to remember this. When decorating, always double-check to make sure that they are meant to be used in that location. The same rules go for extension cords and other electrical decorations.
Power off when not in use.
Just like other electrical appliances in your home, it’s not safe or necessary to have your lights on when you are away from home or asleep. Have them on only when you are able to actively monitor them.
Decorations are so much fun that we often forget that they come with imminent dangers. It’s nothing to be frightened by (like many other Halloween things) but being aware can be the difference between Halloween fun and a night of terror. We share in your excitement and anticipation of the upcoming festivities, and we want to make sure that all of you have a great time, while staying safe. Our top priority here at Nueces Electric Cooperative is providing an uninterrupted energy supply 24/7, 365 days per year. But equally important is keeping our community safe around electricity.