What is odourless, tasteless, invisible, should never be touched, and travels at the speed of light-409,200 km per second? It's electricity and this holiday season it is setting neighbourhoods ablaze. Glittering lights bedeck houses, Santas wave and Rudolphs blink from the lawns. Christmas is the time to warm the chilly nights with the glow of the holidays. For some of us, it's also the season to indulge that kid inside-the one who wants the biggest brightest display. If your electric company likes you, ensure that your insurance company does too.

Every year there are hundreds of injuries and home fires in Canada caused by mishaps with electrical holiday decorations. When you plug a device into the wall, the current being used has already travelled from your local power company down distribution lines to a transformer attached to your home. In the transformer, the voltage is lowered to a level that your home can utilise, however, that voltage is still high enough to cause fatal shocks and spark fires. This is a modern convenience that deserves respect! Remember to exercise a few precautions.

Only use lights and extension cords approved for outdoor use. These are well insulated and designed to be waterproof. When you hang your lights be sure that all plugs are well above the ground and away from any moisture. Snow and rain can make that difficult, so try to position plug connections just under the roof awning. Insulated staples are the best way to secure lights to your house and trees-just ensure that the staples do not pierce the cord. Thumbtacks and nails are not recommended.

Many homeowners leave their lights on continuously. This is a dangerous practice since lights and cords can become quite hot from prolonged use, melting the plastic components and exposing the wires to moisture. Water and electricity are a recipe for disaster.

Electricity can travel easily through metals and liquid or anything with liquid in it-that includes trees, animals and people. Never touch a string of lights that you suspect may be damaged or has fallen in a puddle. First shut off the power to that outlet from your fuse box. Only then should you remove the faulty lights or other decorations.

When replacing bulbs, check the manufacturer's instructions or the cord itself to ensure you are using the correct wattage. If you replace a low-wattage bulb with a higher-wattage bulb you risk sparking a fire. Also check the directions on joining multiple light strands. If you cannot locate the information, do not attempt to join more than three strands.

The socket itself presents a high risk of electrocution. Always replace bulbs and inspect sockets when the device is unplugged. Remove any moisture or debris in the sockets as these can result in bulbs that don't illuminate, or worse, become fire hazards. Discard strings with cracked sockets. Tighten all the bulbs.

Remember to turn off your lights and other decorations when you go to bed. A fire truck siren is a terrible way to wake up! It's a good idea to turn off the lights every time you leave the house-even if you're just run out for a last minute gift. You will save yourself both worry and electricity.

Happy holidays and may the season be bright!

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