Decorating the exterior and interior of your home with lights and decorations is a great way to show your holiday spirit. When it comes to decorating, the more, the merrier. However, you need to take some steps to ensure that you’re not overloading outlets and causing issues for your breaker panel. Let’s look at some holiday lighting tips for a safe installation process as well as some energy-saving recommendations.
Choose LED Lights and Decorations
Most holiday decoration manufacturers have switched over to LED bulbs. Not only are they far more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs, but they’re also safer. They are much cooler to the touch, making them ideal for homes with curious kids and pets. LED lights come in a variety of colors and tend to glow bright and clear.
Test All Your Lights
Before you hang your lights on the exterior or interior of your home, assess each strand. Look for any signs of damage, including frayed or exposed wires. You should plug each strand in to see if all the different bulbs work. Leave the strands plugged in for a few minutes. Make sure the lights remain lit, they don’t blink, nothing goes out, and no smoke is produced from running them. Discard any defective strands of lights you come across, replacing them with something new.
Look for the Underwriter’s Laboratories Label (UL)
The Underwriter’s Laboratories label is used to indicate products that have been made according to strict safety standards. This is a globally recognized certification that functions across several industries, including electrical. If you are purchasing a UL-rated holiday product, you can rest assured that this product has been passed tests for efficiency and safety.
Keep Bulbs Upright and Off the Ground
When you’re hanging your lights or decorations, try to keep bulbs from resting on the ground or surfaces like tree branches, the leaves of bushes, etc. There are different clips and hanging mechanisms that you can use to safely complete your holiday display while keeping bulbs upright.
Avoid Overloading Outlets
It’s tempting to go above and beyond when it comes to different holiday decorations, but don’t plug more items into an outlet than it can handle. The same applies to extension cords and timers. If you’re not sure how much of an electrical draw your home can take, consult with one of our knowledgeable electricians to find out.
Turn Off Lighted Decorations
To save money, avoid powering your decorations all night long or while you’re away from home. You can manually turn off lights. There are also convenient timers that plug into the outlet you’re using for your decorations. You can set the time you want everything to turn on and off. If you’re using LED lights and timers, it won’t cost you much at all to power your decorations throughout the holiday season.
Double-Check Outdoor vs. Indoor Lighting
Lights are made for both indoor and outdoor use. Make sure you’re using the type that fits your decorating scenario. You don’t want to put indoor lights outside. Outdoor lights are ideal for exterior decorating. These products are made using very different materials, designs, and safety standards. Using the wrong type of product can pose the risk of electrocution or fire. It can also decrease the efficiency of your holiday décor.
Use Extension Cords Properly
If you have inflatable decorations or light-up décor, you may find yourself laying extension cords across your property for electrical access in all areas. Make sure you’re using extension cords that are designed for outdoor use. Avoid placing these cords on areas that are going to see a lot of pooling water or moisture over the course of the holiday season. If these cords get wet from rain, it can compromise the integrity of the cord itself as well as your decorations. This scenario could also set the stage for an electrocution hazard.
Be Careful on That Ladder
It’s best to have someone help you decorate for the holidays. If you must climb up on a ladder, they can hold it in place. They can also help hand you the items that you need, so you won’t need to become distracted while you’re in an elevated location. It’s always a good idea to plug your lights in, working outward from the outlet.
Make your job easier by using plastic gutter clips or removable hooks. Avoid using staples and other hardware that could accidentally damage your lighting and decorations.
Be Safe With Interior Decorations, Too
Don’t forget about any decorations that you put around your home during the holidays. You’ll want to be safe about this process as well. For example, don’t have extension cords draped across the floor, especially where people walk by. This can cause a trip hazard. Also, never hide cords under area rugs or furniture.
Don’t plug too many decorations into one outlet. This can result in flickering lights, electrical injury, damaged decorations, and problems with your outlets. It’s easy to get carried away. Your Christmas tree alone has lights that need to be plugged in. Other items that could be plugged in nearby include a train under the tree, decorative houses with lights, and more. Avoid this overloading by spreading decorations throughout your home instead of restricting them to one area.
Avoid using real candles as part of your holiday décor. There’s a lot going on this time of year. It’s easy to forget about these real flames or have them knocked over, which can cause things to set fire quickly, such as your tree, blankets, and gifts.
You can also use timers on the inside of your home to control how often your decorations are on. Don’t leave your tree and other items lit when you are away. If anything were to malfunction, you wouldn’t be there to quickly address the problem. Also, this can cause a sharp rise in your utility bills if you’re running decorations around the clock.
If you notice any of the outlets in your home are discolored or producing sparks, keep items unplugged from those outlets and call a professional right away for an inspection and repair.
If you are looking for more assistance with the electrical setup of your home or would like information on safely maintaining holiday decorations this year, reach out to our team here at Mend Services. We would be happy to help with things like inspecting your outlets, wiring, and breaker panel. We can repair or replace any outdated wiring that is in your home. We can also expand your breaker panel to provide you with more power.
We also provide plumbing services such as new pipe installations, emergency repairs, water heater service, and more. We install, repair, and maintain various types of heating and cooling systems. We even tackle indoor air quality concerns and water quality problems.
Contact Mend Services in Austin, TX, for more information or to schedule an appointment for electrical installation.
