Holiday Lighting SafetyTips

Nov 29, 2017

Will you be one of the more than 86 percent of Americans to decorate your home for the holiday season? If so, make sure you follow some safety tips to avoid the biggest holiday decorating risks—fires and electrical injuries!

Safety starts at the store. When purchasing decorations make sure that all lights, extension cords and other items that plug in have undergone proper safety testing. There should be a label on all of these products that states their safety standards.

Both outdoor and indoor lights should be LED as they last up to 20 times longer and generate less heat that their counterparts, reducing the chance of fire. If you are purchasing an artificial tree that already has lights strung on it, make sure the product is listed as fire / flame-resistant.

Once you’ve brought the holidays home and are ready to deck the halls, follow some simple guidelines for a safe set-up:

Extension cords—keep power cords and extension cords out of high traffic areas and ensure they are not pinched in doors, windows or under furniture. Barry Van Blaricom of Davenport Electric says that, “when using extension cords for outdoor lights, make sure that cords are rated for outdoor use and all temporary lights are connected to a GFCI outlet.”

Holiday lights—turn off holiday lights, both indoor and outdoor, whenever you leave the house or go to sleep. Never drape anything over your light fixtures and remember to only use lights for their intended use (never put indoor lights outdoors or vice versa).

If decorating with strands of lights, never connect more than three strands of incandescent lights together. Blaricom adds that “you can even string up to 20 LED strands together and generate 60 to 70 percent less energy than incandescent lights.”

Outlets—plan your holiday lighting based on the number of outlets you have to avoid overloading and overheating. Always insert plugs fully so prongs are never exposed from the outlet.

“Outdoor outlets should be covered when not in use and rated for in-use duty,” states Blaricom.

Ladders—elevated work is dangerous! When hanging outdoor decorations, always have a good ladder with great footing.

Holiday decorations are sure to lift to your spirit, but remember that safety comes first. If you experience problems with your electricity due to your décor, make sure to contact a certified electrical contractor from www.LightingtheQCA.com.

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