Homes at risk of fire this Christmas

Over 19 million homes at risk of fire this Christmas

With nine in 10 of us using lights to decorate this Christmas, some disturbing facts have been revealed about our attitude to electric safety over the festive period. In excess of one in four tenants and homeowners showed no concern about the safety of the lights they are using.

This result of the NICEIC and ELECSA survey (the regulatory body for electricians) is marginally better than the response to the 2015 study.

Tony Cable, Senior Electrical Engineer for NICEIC and ELECSA said: “Electrical safety in the home is important at any time of the year, but at Christmas we tend to forget that all the decorative lights we use around the home massively increase the dangers to our family. Just grabbing old lights from the loft and plugging them in isn’t acceptable. Everyone needs to be aware of the dangers and take into account the risks”.

Faulty electrics in the home account for 20,000 house fires each year, causing upwards of 70 fatalities. Most electrical issues in the home are easily preventable by ensuring your home is regularly checked electrically by a suitable, registered electrician.

Last year it was highlighted that people use the same Christmas lights year on year and 2016 has shown similar results. 65% of Brits are guilty of reusing lights, which is a 5% increase on last year.

A further concern that the study unveiled is that 97% of Brits do not consider the amount of Christmas lights they have running on their tree, across the home, and in the garden;

Vicente McNeill, an electrician is all too familiar with this issue: “The most common problem that occurs at Christmas is over-loading due to people plugging in too many lights... In my opinion, homeowners are not aware of the strain they are putting on their home systems.”

Brits are advised to think safety first when decorating their home this Christmas. To assist NICEIC and ELECSA have identified the top five tips to ensure your home is electrically safe this Christmas;

• Do not overload sockets
  Try to avoid extensive use of extension sockets and adapters. Do not plug multiple extensions into each other.
• Do not re-wire your lights
  Many homeowners will be tempted, or have already rewired lights to include two, three or sometimes four sets of lights into a single plug. This is dangerous and causes a potential fire risk.
• Make sure lights you use outside are certified safe for external use
  Only use outdoor lights that have been specifically designed to be used outdoors. If you are unsure check the manufacturers’ instructions.
• Do not leave lights on for long periods
  Many homes will be tempted to keep lights on for 24 hours, overnight or even more concerning, leave them on when they go out. All Christmas lights increase the risk of fire and overloading and should only be switched on whilst you are at home.
• Always use Christmas lights that have been certified for use
  This can be identified by the European Standards Symbol (represented by CE) and the British Standards Kitemark. If in doubt, don’t use them. Always buy lights from reputable stores.