Holiday lights are fun, but did you know that they can also be dangerous? They can lead to house fires, electrical outages, and more. Continue reading to learn what you need to know to keep your home and your family safe this winter while still enjoying the magic of holiday lighting. You can also just reach out to our expert electricians for help.
Free the Wild Bulbs
Let your light bulbs hang free! Make sure they are not up against anything, especially anything flammable. You may also want to make sure that there’s nothing nearby that could poke them or puncture them because this can cause electrical problems.
Run Away From Overload
Make sure you don’t overload your circuits with too many holiday lights. While this may not seem possible, some types of lighting use a lot more power than you think they would. If you want to put more than two or three strands of lighting on the same circuit, make sure you talk to a professional before you put them up.
Invest In the Best Extension Cords
Use extension cords designed for heavy use. If you’re putting up lights outside, be sure to use cords designed to withstand rain, snow, wind, and more. These are more expensive up front but they should last for years and they are a lot cheaper than dealing with a house fire.
Keep Your Tree Wet
Dry Christmas trees catch fire easily, as do dry trees in your yard. Keeping everything watered is a great way to make sure there’s no fire this year. If you don’t want to run your sprinklers because of cold weather, pouring buckets of water on your trees can help, too.
Check Out The Bulbs On That Strand
Going bulb by bulb to make sure everything is in good working order may not be your idea of fun, but it needs to be done if you want to hang the lights up. Even a single faulty bulb can cause major problems, making the time you spend checking each one well worth it.
Reduce Heat Wherever You Can
Too much heat can cause fires and other electrical problems. Make sure you reduce the heat wherever you can. For instance, LED bulbs produce less heat, cost less power, and last longer than traditional light bulbs do.
Put It Away When You’re Done
It may be tempting to leave your lights up year-round and just turn them on during the holidays, but they weren’t designed for this. They could suffer damage that you might not know about until you try to use them again and they cause major problems. Besides, taking them down usually goes quickly and preserves the bulbs for more years, too.
Help from Professional Fort Worth Electricians
If you need help making sure that your home’s electricity is safe this winter, call us at Hop2It Electrical today. We can perform an electrical safety inspection or simply answer your questions. We can also help with your indoor lighting or your outdoor lighting! We’ll help you stay safe this winter, all while experiencing the joy of holiday lights, too.