During the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, we sometimes forget some very important things that can cause major catastrophes! Check out these tips to make sure your family's Christmas stays merry and bright.
WATER THE TREE! A dry tree is the #1 cause of fires during this time of year. Don't forget to check it daily and make sure the tree has plenty to drink.
Check the placement of your tree. You increase your chances of a fire tremendously when you place Christmas trees (real or artificial) next to fireplaces, radiators, and even heating vents.
Trim your tree with care. When hanging ornaments, don't forget your children and pets. Any of those family heirloom ornaments that may have toxic paint, the breakable ornaments, and the ornaments with small parts should be placed high. Also, consider replacing metal hooks with ribbon. Not only does that help prevent choking, it looks pretty as well!
Use proper outlets when plugging in lights. Sparks aren't exactly the bright shiny lights you're looking for, right?! Outside lights should be plugged into a GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlet. This type of outlet will shut off the circuit if short or overcurrent. If you do not have a GFCI outlet, you can opt to buy a portable outdoor unit from your local home improvement store for less than $20. Then maybe have a qualified electrician permanently install one for the holidays to come.
Snapped, Cracked, Popped... we're not talking about cereal! Cords that have been snapped, cracked, or the ends are popping open are NOT safe. As nice as it is to reuse your lights, it's just not worth the fire hazard and shock hazard it brings. Lots of home improvement store offer trade-in opportunities now, so make sure to replace any damaged lights or other items with damaged cords.
Will your fireplace seriously stain up Santa's suit? Lots of people only use their fireplaces at Christmas. Be sure your fireplace and chimney is clean and free of
debris. You will be happy to reduce your chance of a fire, and Santa will enjoy not having such a high dry cleaning bill.
Be sure to watch your candle placement and extinguish them before bed or leaving. Candles are used a lot during the season, but can be just as dangerous as a dry Christmas tree. Be sure to keep candles away from walls, curtains, and paper. Also, be sure to extinguish candles before going to bed, or leaving your home.
Post-Holiday Clean Up
As the holidays come to a close, and your tree is all taken down, give the area a thorough sweep to protect children and animals from harm. This will clean up the obvious (glass, metal, and plastic), but it also cleans up pine needles which can be dangerous as well. Also take care when taking down decorations on your house. Be sure to deploy a ladder extending a minimum of three feet over the roof line or working area. Ladders should be on level, firm ground, and should be able to carry both your weight and any objects you're hauling.
And of course, Andy Lewis Heating & Air will be here for you if you should encounter any problems with your heat! You can call us day or night at 704-391-9191.
Everyone here at Andy Lewis Heating & Air Conditioning wishes you a SAFE and Happy Christmas & New Year!
So, the new year is almost upon us. Here in the South, we have our traditional New Year's Day dinner. Pork, collard greens, black eyed peas, and cornbread are among the staples that most of us enjoy. It is said that by eating this meal, you will enjoy luck and prosperity in the new year. The black eyed peas represent coins, the cornbread represents gold, the collard greens represent paper money, and the pork represents looking forward to the future (because a pig is physically incapable of turning it's head to look back). The practice of eating black-eyed peas for luck is generally believed to date back to the Civil War. At first planted as food for livestock, and later a food staple for slaves in the South, the fields of black-eyed peas were ignored as Sherman's troops destroyed or stole other crops, thereby giving the humble, but nourishing, black-eyed pea an important role as a major food source for surviving Confederates. 
