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The holiday season is just around the corner. For many homeowners, that will mean setting up extravagant lighting displays. As beautiful, festive, and fun holiday lighting can be, it’s easy to go overboard when decorating your home. Not only can the extra lighting severely strain your home’s electrical system and budget, but it can also be dangerous if you’re not careful with how you display your lights.
Simply put, there are many things to consider when it comes to holiday lighting. While that shouldn’t deter you from wowing your neighbors with the ultimate holiday display or bringing a little holiday cheer into your home, you need to keep these factors in mind. Here are just 10 to consider this season.
1. Inspect All Holiday Lights
Your holiday lights have likely been in a box in your attic, basement, or garage since last year. They’ve probably been kept relatively safe, but you should always inspect them thoroughly before you hang them anywhere in or on your house. Look for cracked insulation, exposed wires, loose connections, and damaged plugs. If anything seems “off” about any of your decor or lights, don’t use them. Get rid of them and replace them with something new.
2. Know What Your Outlets and Extension Cords Can Handle
As we said before, it’s easy to go overboard and get carried away when creating a holiday lighting display. The last thing you want is to overload an outlet with too many lights and decorations. This can cause anything from a tripped circuit breaker to a devastating electrical fire.
Before plugging in any light strings or decorations, check their labels for recommended wattage or amperage use. Most lighting and small appliance circuits are 15 to 20 amps, while major appliances and larger devices may require up to 60 amps. If you’re not sure of a circuit’s amperage rating, you might be able to find out by checking your electrical panel or your home’s power meter. There may be a label displaying this information. In any case, avoid overloading any outlets if you can. If you have any doubt about whether an outlet can handle your holiday lights, plug your lights in somewhere else.
When you plug in any holiday lights or decorations, use a power strip with a surge protector if you’re plugging in multiple strings of lights. Never string more than three light strands together.
3. Use Only Lights and Extension Cords That Are Safe for Outdoor Use
Not all extension cords and lights are suitable for outdoor use. Before you hang any lights outside your house or in your trees, ensure they are rated for outdoor use. This information should be very clear on the lights’ packaging. This also applies to extension cords. Some extension cords are intended for indoor use, so find a heavy-duty cord that is rated safe for outdoor use.
4. Opt for LED Lights
LED lights are far better for any holiday light display. They run much cooler than traditional incandescent lights, making them safer to put on or near trees and other potentially flammable materials. They are also longer-lasting and more energy-efficient if you’re concerned about saving money on your energy bills during the holidays.
5. Keep Trees Safe
A real Christmas tree is a great thing to have in your home, but combining it with holiday lights can create a fire hazard if you’re not careful. Using LED lights instead of incandescent lights will help keep things safe, but keep a close eye on your lights to make sure they aren’t running too hot, and keep your tree watered. A dry tree is far more likely to catch fire if there are problems with your lights or your wiring.
Of course, this also applies to trees you decorate outdoors. If the weather has been arid, think twice before stringing lights up around the trees in your yard. Remember that you don’t have as much control over how well outdoor trees are watered, so err on caution and keep your lights away from trees that seem too dry and unhealthy.
6. Give Cords and Lights Plenty of Space
Light strands and electrical cords can get hot, even in relatively good condition. When you use light strands to decorate your home, ensure they aren’t too close to furniture or other decorations. Your home should have plenty of space and ventilation to allow them to cool. Cords should also be kept away from high-traffic areas as well. Not only could they become tripping hazards, but they can be damaged if too many people step on them or someone accidentally places a chair or table leg on top of them.
7. Use Portable GFCI Adapters for Protection
GFCI adapters provide extra protection for outdoor lights and extension cords by cutting power when the electricity flow becomes too high. Invest in a few of these if you plan to hang lights outdoors, and always test them before use.
8. Don’t Forget About Your Regular Lights
It’s easy to get caught up in decorating your home and forget about your other lights and appliances. Check all of your outlets, lighting fixtures, and appliances to make sure that they’re in good condition and that you won’t overload your circuits if you have them plugged in with your holiday lights. It’s always a good idea to play it safe and skip using extra lights if you think any of your wiring or appliances might be unsafe.
9. Start Small
As much as you might want to go all-out with your holiday decorations, you’re better off starting small and sticking to something you know your electrical system can handle. Check the amperage on all decorations and lights, and keep your display modest for now. If your home can hold a small display, add a few extra lights and decorations to test the waters later. You should be okay if you aren’t pushing things to the limit.
10. Turn Off Your Lights When You’re Asleep or Away
You wouldn’t leave all the lights on in your home when you’re gone or asleep, so don’t always leave your holiday lights on. First, it will run up your electric bill, which is likely to be higher anyway during the holidays. Second, it’s unsafe. Holiday lights need to be overseen for all the reasons we’ve already mentioned, and you can’t do that while you’re asleep in bed or at a holiday party somewhere else.
Call HR Phoenix for Assistance
If you are worried about your home’s electrical system and want to ensure all is well for the holiday season, HR Phoenix will be happy to help you. We are an electrical contractor located in Richland Hills, TX, and we are experts in solving all electrical inquiries. Whether you’re having problems with your home’s wiring or think you need to upgrade your electrical panel before creating a dazzling holiday light display, we’ll be happy to assist you. We prioritize electrical safety at all times and can fix problems that other electrical contractors cannot. For more information about our electrical services or to schedule service for your home, contact HR Phoenix in Richland Hills today.
