Give Your Customers Some Holiday Cheer
Many of us are excited to feel the cooler air and see all the amazing colors from the trees this time of year. The smell of bonfires and the glow from the fireplace can bring back precious memories of past holiday seasons. One thing I enjoy doing every autumn is watching how animals prepare for the upcoming weather change. Depending on what area of the country you live in, the first flakes of snow may have begun to fall and paint a new landscape. The days are becoming shorter, and the nights are getting longer.
In stores across the nation, retailers are busy stocking their shelves with holiday decorations, indoor and outdoor holiday lights, Christmas trees (both fake and real), and many other trimmings to place around the house to make it look festive and feel warm and cozy inside.
During all the excitement and work of preparing for the upcoming holidays, however, it’s easy to forget that this time of year can also be one of the most hazardous.
For example, did you know that heating equipment is involved in one out of every seven house fires and one in every five house fire deaths? As reported by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), one out of every three decoration fires is caused by candles, and one out of 32 reported Christmas tree fires end in death. It shouldn’t take something so tragic to make us realize that we need to safeguard our homes from very preventable fires. That’s why I recommend offering your customers a few helpful tips to eliminate the chance of a house fire. Your clients shouldn’t be left wondering if their house is safe or not. Giving them your professional advice could mean the difference between life and death.
Whether you tell them in person as you come and go or via email or even social media, take a look at the following list of helpful reminders that can help keep your customers and the people they love free from harm this holiday season. Not only can these tips possibly help save lives, but they can also make you look and feel good by giving them some peace of mind this holiday season.
1. Keep portable generators outside of your home away from windows.
2. Install carbon monoxide detectors, and test them once a month.
3. Have a qualified professional clean your chimney every year.
4. Discard ashes from the fireplace further than 10 ft from your home and any other combustible items.
5. Make sure space heaters are on a dedicated circuit (one per circuit).
6. Keep combustible items at least 3 ft away from a space heater.
7. Keep candles at least 24 in. away from anything that will burn.
8. Dispose of your real Christmas tree as soon as the holiday is over or when it is dry.
9. Have your heating system professionally inspected to make sure it’s in proper working order.
10. Make sure to get a yearly electrical system inspection to ensure it’s in tip-top shape.
11. Replace the batteries in your smoke detectors and fire alarms, and test them on a regular basis to ensure they work.
For many electricians, it’s easy to pop in and out of a client’s home and complete the job you were hired for without saying much more than “Happy Holidays.” Do your customers and yourself a favor by keeping in mind that half of all home heating fires occur in December,January, and February. Let’s all do our part to help keep everyone safe this holiday season and beyond.
Talbot is a licensed, master electrician in Georgia, where he was born and raised. He has been in the industry for 17 years and is currently the operations manager for Mister Sparky Atlanta, where he manages a team of technicians. In his spare time, he plays with his kids, volunteers, and is flipping his fourth house. He can be reached at [email protected].