Holiday Candle Safety Tips

12/20/2019 (Permalink)

Candles are beautiful but also pose risk

Adding candles to holiday décor can add beauty. It also adds to the risk of a house fire. According to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), from 2012-2016, an estimated 8,200 house fires that were started by candles per year. These fires caused 770 injuries and $264 million in property damage. The top 3 days for home candle fires are Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.

To minimize your risks, the NFPA recommends using battery-operated flameless candles, which can look and smell like real candles. If you chose real candles, they recommend the following:

• Make sure they are in stable holders and place them where they cannot be knocked over.
• Never use a candle if oxygen is used in the home.
• Completely extinguish all candles when you leave the room or go to bed.
• Never use of candles in the bedroom or other areas where people may fall asleep.
• Keep candles at least 1 foot away from anything that can burn including hair and loose clothing.
• Don’t burn a candle down — put it out before it gets too close to the holder or container.
• Have battery-powered lighting ready to use during a power outage. Never use candles.

Decking the halls should be fun, but always remember to exercise more caution when using candles.

About SERVPRO of Dearborn/Dearborn Heights Southeast
SERVPRO^® of Dearborn/Dearborn Heights SE provides 24-hour disaster mitigation service. We specialize in the restoration of homes and businesses suffering losses from fire and smoke, water, flood, wind, and storm damage. Our locally owned and operated 24/7 response team is always just a phone call away. 313-359-3457

Source: https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Fire-causes-and-risks/Top-fire-causes/Candles