Electrical Safety Tips for the Holiday Season

Schedule Now

Holidays are an occasion of festive cheer as well as a time to avoid getting zapped by electrical hazards in the home. According to national statistics, the incidence of injuries and even deaths due to electrical accidents (including electrical-related home fires) increases substantially during holiday season. This is largely due to the increased use of electrical decorations and other temporary components. Avoid getting zapped (it’s definitely not a holiday spirit booster) and even more serious incidents by considering these 10 common sense safety suggestions.

  • When installing outdoor electric decorations, make sure they’re all plugged into circuits that incorporate Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter protection to prevent electric shock.
  • Inspect all lights and other decorations before use. Also check each extension cord that will be utilized for any signs of wear.
  • Make sure extension cords are correctly rated for the intended use. Do not use indoor extension cords in an outdoor environment.
  • If you’re decorating outdoors, don’t allow the decorations, ladder, extension cord, or your own body to be any closer than 10 feet to existing power lines. Maintain extreme caution while you are in their vicinity.
  • Don’t leave electrical decorations turned on when you leave the house or go to bed.
  • Do not overload wall outlets or circuits with too many decorations or other electrical components. Overloading causes heat which can melt insulation and lead to a shock hazard and/or a fire.
  • Excessive number of incandescent lights can draw excessive amperage that may overheat wiring. Never connect more than three strings of incandescent lights together.
  • Some inexpensive imported decorations (particularly LED light strings and other holiday electronics) may not be manufactured to safety standards recognized in this country. Don’t save money by purchasing electrical decorations that could pose a shock or fire hazard. Shop for products that have been approved by recognized safety testing labs such as Underwriter’s Laboratory, Intertek, or Canadian Standards Association.

For more safety advice to avoid getting zapped this holiday season, contact Apollo Electrical, Heating, Cooling and Plumbing.

Schedule
Call
"Ernie & Mike did a superb job on my new furnace and A/C installation. Despite having more than a day’s work to do, they came in and stayed until the job was done. They were organized, efficient, and protected the rest of the house well. Got both furnace and A/C installed the same day. Ernie was courteous, informative, and clearly knew his job better than anyone I’ve encountered before. The units look so good guests now get The Tour of our new system. Apollo is clearly not a fly-by-night company. I would recommend them to anyone in need of a new furnace and/or A/C."
- Jerry A.
"I called Apollo because of a water leak I thought I had in our upstairs shower going into the kitchen. Robbie came and assured me everything was fine & looked at all the other plumbing. He ended up changing a few pipes for our washer & clearing a drain. He was very nice & knowledgeable with all my questions. I ended up signing up for the care plan & was very happy with my service."
- Cassandra B.
"The team at Apollo exceeded my expectations. As a business owner, my attention to the details and commitment to providing excellent service is high. From the sales rep. to the installation team, everyone’s performance was outstanding. For example, the installation team went to great lengths to protect our floors, placing floor runners and across the wood floors and up the stairs. They even were spot washing walls upon their departure. I highly recommend this company."
- Randy B.
"We scheduled an estimate AND a tune-up. We knew something was wrong with our furnace, but hoped we could make it through the rest of the season. Upon telling Bill what our furnace was doing, he warned us immediately what the possible outcome was going to be; a cracked heat exchanger. He watched the flames roll backward, tested carbon monoxide levels, which were so high they meter’s last reading was 5,600 before saying “high”. He immediately shut it down, tagged it, and explained that with levels that high and children in our home he wanted off right away. He continued his inspection and showed us via a camera that not only was it cracked in multiple places, but had holes all over it. He gave us a few options for repairing it; his knowledge as well as genuine concern was beneficial and refreshing. Luckily we also scheduled an estimator, Micah, to come too and we were able to get costs between repairing and replacing (with several options). We decided to replace with a much higher efficiency furnace and one sized properly to our home. Hands down, not only did they both provide us great service and knowledge, but without sounding dramatic, they may have saved our lives. This was our first time calling Apollo, but it won’t be our last."
- Sarah B.
"Apollo is an excellent company. I always receive great service. Alex A. was professional and friendly. He kept me informed during the process of checking my furnace and heat pump to make sure they were working properly. The company makes sure you are notified who is coming and when they are on the way. All my interactions with the company have been wonderful."
- Beverly S.
    Read Reviews
    Image

    Financing

    Learn More
    Image

    Apollo Care Plan

    Learn More