Holiday decorations are some of our favorite things about this time of year, but between the nail holes, the fire hazards, and the extra weight, decorations can be pretty harmful to your home. Here are some tips for better and safer holiday decorating.
PLAN AHEAD
The absolute best thing you can do to make sure your holiday decorating goes smoothly is plan ahead. Playing it by ear can lead to mistakes, and mistakes can hurt your home. Overloading lights can add unnecessary weight to a gutter or a tree branch, and a misplaced nail leaves a hole that can let in moisture where it doesn’t belong.
HANG SAFELY
Speaking of nails, do you really need them? Pounding holes in your siding or eaves is obviously not the best choice when it comes to home health. Nowadays there are plenty of options for safe decoration hanging readily available. There are even clips specifically designed for securely hanging decorations off your siding or your gutters. Adhesive putty and hanging strips are some more great options for hanging decorations inside and out.
AVOID HAZARDS
Between 2011-15, there was almost $15 billion worth of property damage caused annually solely from Christmas tree fires. That’s why it’s important to check your decorations before putting them up. Be on the lookout for fire hazards like frayed wires and loose bulb connections.
When placing decorations on your roof, avoid the chimney altogether. An errant spark from that cozy midwinter fire could send your inflatables up in flames, and you don’t want to explain to your kids that you set Santa on fire.
BE CAREFUL
Your home’s safety is important, but your own safety is even more so. Follow proper safety precautions while getting festive this year. Using ladders and climbing onto your roof can be especially dangerous in winter when there could be unseen ice covering the ground or your home. Don’t be a Clark Griswold, the best light show on your block isn’t worth a broken bone.
Your home is an investment, so take care of it this holiday season. Looking for the perfect home for the holidays? Look right here.
