Key Ingredients to Remember for a Safe Thanksgiving

From 2014 to 2016 on Thanksgiving Day, about 2,400 residential building fires were reported each year, more than doubling the average number of fires on any other day of the year. Before you begin cooking a delicious Thanksgiving spread, consider the following tips to keep your kitchen safe through the holidays:

What’s easier than deep frying a turkey yourself? Reaching out to a grocery store, restaurant or specialty food supplier to have them do it for you. Don’t deep fry your turkey. Unless you’re a professionally trained chef, it’s not a good idea.

Don’t let your desire for a piece of deep-fried game bird outweigh potential life-threatening burns or fire damage to your home and belongings. Even though the reported number of deep-fryer-turkey fires is unaccounted for, it’s safe to assume they’re to blame for many of the residential fires.

Thanksgiving can bring lots of family and friends into your household to gather for a feast. Many times, one individual winds up cooking for more people than they are typically used to, which can lead to distractions, unattended food and disasters.

Whether you’re grilling, boiling, broiling or baking, it’s important to keep an eye on the food at all times. That way you can make sure everyone stays safe — and that no food is wasted due to overcooking.

Smoke detectors alarm everyone in the house if a fire is about to break out. Testing your smoke detectors before your Thanksgiving Day guests arrive is simple and could save lives. Just click the test button. If the smoke detector beeps, you’re good to go. If it doesn’t, you’ll need to replace the batteries.

More than 54 million Americans will be traveling from Wednesday, November 21 to Sunday, November 25, according to a recent estimate by the American Automobile Association. That leaves a mass amount of homes throughout the U.S. vacant for a few days.

An increase in home vacancies leads to an uptick in crime, especially home break-ins, which tend to spike during the holiday season. There are several ways to deter would-be thieves from breaking into your home and gifting themselves with your hard-earned belongings.

Check out this Universal article that can provide you with budget-friendly tips to prevent home break-ins while you’re away.

Hosting friends and family for a Thanksgiving meal has all kinds of perks. No driving on the busiest travel day of the year. Eating all the turkey and desserts you can fathom without worrying where your head will rest for a nap. But, what many people may not realize, is that the host is responsible for guests while they’re under their roof.

While hospitality during the holidays is important, so is safety. Making sure you understand the liability portion of your homeowners, renters or condo insurance policy is a key ingredient for a successful Thanksgiving feast.

In addition to hosting, cooking and cleaning, watching after nieces, nephews, little cousins and kids of your own can be a full-time job. It’s best to “safety-proof” your home before little ones arrive. Make sure there are no hazards present, such as kitchen knives or cleaning supplies left out in the open.

Candles can be also detrimental in the wrong hands or if left unattended. They give off a strong aromatic presence, clearing the air of baked turkey, cranberries and green bean casserole. It’s important to keep an eye on candles and keep them away from little ones as well.

If something happens during the holiday season and you need to file a claim, call a Universal agent at 844-633-9900 or file online here .