Throughout the holidays, a lot is going on. You may be using more electricity because of having light displays in your yard. You may also be doing a lot more cooking, baking, and entertaining. By knowing more about how to protect your home, you can reduce incidents and eliminate having to file a claim with the home insurance company.

CLEAN YOUR OVEN

It’s important to clean your oven prior to all of your holiday baking and cooking. This will help to remove any drips and residue that may be at the bottom. Otherwise, it could end up causing smoke and even a fire within the kitchen.

DON’T OVERUSE ELECTRICAL PLUGS

Be conscious of how you are using electrical plugs and extension cords. You don’t want one too many into a single outlet because you could end up with an electrical short. You may also be forcing too much current into an outlet, leading to a fire. This means you have to be conscious about how you are stringing lights together on outdoor displays, as well as in your home.

KEEP YOUR TREE WATERED

Many people add water to their Christmas tree at the very beginning of the season, and then forget about it entirely. You don’t want to fall into this category. If you don’t keep your tree watered, it’s going to dry out. Then, mixed with the heat of the lights, you could easily start a fire. Especially if you are not home when your tree is lit, it could lead to a very bad situation.

CHECK BATTERIES ON SMOKE DETECTORS

With all that is going on in your home, you want to make sure that your smoke detectors are functioning properly. Take the time to check all of the batteries. If you aren’t sure, it’s best to err on the side of caution and replace all of the batteries with new ones. This way, if there is a fire, smoke detectors will let you know and you can take care of the situation before it gets out of control.

COLLECT KEYS AT PARTIES

If you are serving alcohol at any of your holiday parties, you may want to collect keys from everyone. This will prevent them from leaving the party inebriated. If anyone were to get a DUI or get into an accident on the way home, you are liable because you are the one that put them into that state. This means you should plan on helping everyone out. Offer a designated driver to anyone who has had too much to drink.

Remember, it’s your home and therefore you are liable for anything that could go wrong. Even though you may be simply enjoying the holidays, all sorts of different things can happen. Your home insurance in Florida is designed to protect your home. If something goes wrong, you want to be able to call and file a claim. However, by following a few basic tips, you may be able to prevent various things from ever happening.