Keeping your home safe and festive in December

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - Your furnace, fireplace and portable heaters can all increase the risk of fire during winter months. But The biggest culprit is overloaded electrical outlets.

From bright lights to festive decorations, December holidays have a lot to offer. But behind all those decorations are hidden dangers that could destroy your home in minutes.

Roberto Rodriguez whose house was damaged due to an electrical fire in Erving told 22News “The whole house smells like smoke. We have soot everywhere.”

• 19 homeless after 3-family house fire in Erving

Three electrical fires over the weekend displaced dozens of western Massachusetts families. In fact, fires are more common in winter months because more items are plugged into electrical outlets.

Collette Haskell of Chicopee told 22News “It is a hassle to get behind the Christmas tree to plug it in and then unplug it. I just leave it on from the day I set it up to the day after Christmas.:”

In 2011, about 390 houses burnt down because of fires involving Christmas trees or holiday decorations. Now, the simplest safety tip to remember with your Christmas tree? Keep your tree watered.

Some other tips from the Federal Emergency Management Agency include:

• Never put tree branches in a fireplace or wood burning stove.
• Do not block exits with holiday decorations.
• Do not overload electrical outlets.
• And make sure your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working.

Robert Glasgow of Springfield told 22News “We do change the smoke detectors every six month during Daylight Saving Time.This way I know they are always working because I put fresh batteries in all the time.”

Electrical cords should never be warm when you touch them. If you have a generator, watch out for Carbon Monoxide. Never leave a burning candle unattended.