It's the holiday season and for many homeowners, it's easy to neglect some of the most basic rules of home safety.
The hustle and bustle of activity this time of year can lead to property damage and injuries that normally can be easily prevented.
Denver-based insurance comparison shopping site InsuranceQuotes and Washington-based research firm Princeton Survey Research Associates International polled 1,000 American adults, asking them to recount the frequency of certain holiday hazards, including injuries to houseguests, weather-related driving accidents and fires caused by everything from cooking mistakes to misadventures with decorations.
According to the study, 16 million Americans have experienced a house fire because of a fryer or cooking accident, and 2 million have had fires caused by Christmas trees and other decorations.
Scott Humphrey, second vice president of risk control for New York City-based Travelers Cos., says homeowners file more claims for fire damage during this time of year than any other.
"Our claim data also shows that fire is one of the costliest claims," Humphrey says. "If fire results in a total loss, it's important that homeowners are insured for the total cost to rebuild, not just the market value of the home. Homeowners should be sure to review this point with their insurance agent or carrier."
Related: 5 most common types of holiday theft
Here are some tips for homeowners to help prevent fanning the flames of fire risk:
Deep frying that turkey? Make sure to use it safely. (Photo: iStock)
|1. Use deep fryers safely
While experts agree that it's objectively safer to deep fry your turkey outside, they also say holiday chefs should make sure it's set up on level ground at least 30 feet away from the home, trees or any other flammable objects.
Related: Top 7 states for turkey fryer fires
"Believe it or not, dry leaves on the ground can serve as natural lighter fluid if there's a mishap, so make sure to rake beforehand," says Peter Duncanson, director of system development with the disaster restoration company ServiceMaster Restore.
Be careful with holiday lights this season. They're one of the main causes of fires. (Photo: iStock)
|2. Practice basic electrical safety
Humphrey says one of the main causes of fires this time of year result from electrical hazards like holiday lights, appliances or other devices that overload an extension cord or structural wiring in the home.
"It is especially important to inspect your strands of lights for frayed cords and cracked lamps before stringing them up," Humphrey says. "Also, turn off your lights when you go out for the evening or when you go to bed so you don't wake up or come home to a fire."
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