From fallen limbs, to ice damage, to frozen pipes, winter comes with its own unique set of risks for homeowners, and throwing the excitement and stress of the holidays on top of that can lead to a whole new set of hazards.

According to a November 2022 survey from Selective Insurance, around 85% of U.S. residents decorate their home for the winter holidays, and they discovered 97% of these decorators may be unwittingly introducing more than just Christmas cheer into their homes – in form of increased fire risk.

Some of the most common holiday fire hazards homeowners may participate in, according to the survey, include:

• 47% use candles
• 31% use two or more connected extension cords
• 28% use tinsel
• 54% of U.S. residents have a real Christmas tree, but only 17% water it every day (as recommended by the National Fire Safety Association) and 67% water it fewer than three times a week.
• 66% have left their indoor Christmas lights on while no one was home, which can lead to accidental fire.

Those who choose to decorate should take precautions to lessen their risk, including unplugging holiday lights when they leave the house or go to bed, keeping candles at least a foot away from flammable material and being mindful of overloading outlets.