The holiday season is a joyous time when we get to spend precious time with family and friends while enjoying the beauty that holiday lights have to offer. If you’re one of the many who decorate for the winter season, there are a few key tips you’ll want to keep in mind to remain safe while illuminating your home.
Be Careful With Overhead Power Lines
If you enjoy putting decorations along your roof line or even on your roof, you’re going to need a ladder. It’s best to invest in a fiberglass or wood ladder as they don’t conduct electricity like metal ladders do. This simply means you won’t be electrocuted if your ladder touches a powerline. Additionally, be very mindful of where you’re placing the ladder. Stay at least 10 feet away from any overhead power line to ensure your utmost safety while installing holiday lights.
Avoid Daisy-Chaining Extension Cords
An extension cord can be an extremely useful item when it comes to lighting decorations. However, it’s vitally important that you never plug multiple extension cords together. This is referred to as daisy-chaining, and it can be highly dangerous as it increases the chance of overheating the cords.
Don’t Leave Coils in Cords
One of the biggest mistakes that homeowners make with their extension cords is leaving them partially coiled up. This happens most often when the extension cord is simply too long for the needed application. The issue with leaving the remainder of the cord coiled is that it can allow for excessive overheating and potentially an electrical fire. Do yourself a favor by getting an extension cord that matches the distance that you need it to span.
Opt For GFCI Outdoor Outlets
It’s imperative that you only plug outdoor decorations into outdoor outlets. Never run an extension cord from an inside outlet to the outdoors as that brings a lot of safety risks along with it. Instead, opt for plugging all your outside decorations into an outdoor outlet.
All outdoor outlets must be GFCI, known formally as ground-fault circuit interrupter outlets. These are specifically designed to kill power to whatever is plugged into them if the outlet is too wet. This prevents electrocution, among other things. You can identify a GFCI outlet by its distinctive test and rest buttons alongside its regular shape. Make sure that all your GFCI outdoor outlets have a cover to keep moisture out of them.
Know the Necessary Amperage
All decorations will require a specific amperage to run. This should be listed right on each decoration’s label. When you choose to run an extension cord on any decoration, you must first ensure the extension cord is rated to handle the decoration’s amperage. You should be able to find the rating right on the cord or its tag. The extension cord’s rating should equal or exceed the necessary amperage for your decoration to prevent overheating. If you don’t have the amperage capacity for all those electronic decorations, you may need to decide on a few to put back in the closet, or get an electrical panel upgrade to accommodate them.
Watch Light Strand Daisy-Chaining
It isn’t uncommon for homeowners to plug multiple light strands into one another. This helps to cover a large area while allowing for fewer plugs. However, it’s a necessity to read the box your lights came in to see what the limit is for daisy-chaining. Most light manufacturers will limit their recommendation to three light strands being plugged together. Typically, the recommendation for LED light strand daisy-chaining is much higher than traditional incandescent light strands.
Inspect All Electrical Cords
As a general rule of thumb, you should be examining each electrical cord that you use whether it’s an extension cord or attached to one of your holiday decorations. Look for any exposed wires, cutting of the insulation, or other damage. If any cord has damage to it, you should have it repaired by an electrician before using the item. It’s never a good idea to use a damaged electrical cord as it greatly enhances your risk of problems, like an electrical fire or electrocution.
Indoor vs. Outdoor Rated Cords
All electrical cords will be rated for either indoor or outdoor use. The main difference between the two is that outdoor-rated cords are specifically designed to handle excess moisture and UV radiation. You can determine a decoration or extension cord’s rating by looking at its tag. While you can surely use outdoor-rated extension cords and decorations inside, never use an indoor-rated item outside.
Water Your Tree Regularly
There’s no doubt that celebrating Christmas with a fresh tree in your home can create a spectacular setting. However, if you put some lights on your tree, it can heat up. It’s best to ensure that you’re regularly watering your tree to prevent excessive drying. Old incandescent holiday lights on a dry Christmas tree is a recipe for disaster.
Have a Type C Fire Extinguisher
With the excess holiday lighting at your home, it’s advisable to have a fire extinguisher on hand in case a fire does break out. While it may be common to think that a fire extinguisher is just a fire extinguisher, that’s not exactly the case. Fire extinguishers come with a specific type rating so you know what their application is for.
Type C fire extinguishers are specifically engineered to put out electrical fires. If you really want to go the extra mile, you can get a fire extinguisher with an ABC rating that covers all the main types, including electrical, combustible, and flammable objects that are on fire.
Secure Electrical Cords Safely
Electrical cords lying on the ground, draped over a railing, or left in another similar fashion are all susceptible to movement with heavy wind gusts. One thing you want to do to ensure that your electrical cords don’t move is to staple them down. However, be extremely mindful of how far you drive in the staple. The cord should be able to move in the staple and the staple shouldn’t be in contact with the outer insulation layer of the cord. If you drive it in too far, the staple can actually push too hard into the cord and cause it to expose its interior wiring.
Unplug Electrical Items to Service Them
While you may check to ensure all your lights and decorations are functioning before putting them in place, one or two undoubtedly will fail to work when you install them. Take the time to shut off the power going to the light or decoration before replacing the light bulb. Leaving the item on could result in you getting accidentally electrocuted.
Consider Upgrading to LED Decorations
Holiday decorations tend to be one of those things where homeowners keep them for decades on end. While LEDs have been out for a while, you still may have some old decorations that rely on incandescent lighting. It’s time to think about upgrading to LEDs as they use about one-tenth of the power of incandescent lighting and they’re much cooler to the touch.
Reliable Electrician Service
Accurate Home Services offers reliable electrician services for residents throughout the entire Crandall, TX community. Our pros can help with all your heating, cooling, electrical, and indoor air quality needs. Simply call us today to book your next service consultation.
