Another Christmas is coming, and while you might be excited about starting your DIY Christmas light installation, don’t forget to take safety precautions. They’re vital to protecting your home and family against some of the potential pitfalls that are associated with improper Christmas light installation.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NCPA), 835 homes experienced a devastating fire outbreak because of decorations each year (excluding Christmas trees). If you don’t ensure the safety of your Christmas lights installation, your home may be another statistic.
For this reason, this piece will focus on how to install Christmas lights safely. Let’s dive in!
How to Install Christmas Lights Safely
The following Christmas lights safety tips will protect you from potential disasters so you can enjoy your holiday with no worries;
1. Consider Switching to LED Lights
If you still use incandescent light bulbs, consider replacing them with LED lights. They’re safer to use because they run cooler, which can prevent fires. They’re also not hot to the touch, which is excellent. Otherwise, you risk your kids burning their fingers when touching them.
Additionally, they’re also energy-efficient. That means cheaper electric bills than incandescent lights because they use 75% less energy but last longer.
2. Prepare a Holiday Lighting Safety Checklist
Before starting your DIY Christmas light installation, ensure you have all the necessary equipment and accessories in check. Prepare a list to double-check everything is as it should be, then check the items off the list as you go.
Check your Christmas lights and outdoor extension cords to ensure no damaged insulation, frayed wires, or defective wiring. Moreover, check your plug to make sure the prongs are not damaged. If they are, it could cause electrical arcing that may result in a fire hazard.
3. Use the Correct Types of Cords and Lights
It’s simple: use indoor-rated lights and extension cords for indoors and outdoor-rated ones for outdoors. The Christmas lights usually have this information outside their packaging, so check it before buying them.
Additionally, check that you have the proper extension cords. Use Ground-fault Current Interrupter (GCFI) outlets for outdoor lights. You install these particular electrical outlets in areas where there’s a risk of electricity having contact with water, like the kitchen or bathroom.
They prevent electric fires, severe electric shocks, and damage to appliances.
4. Smart Setup and Installation
After checking that you have the right equipment for your DIY Christmas lights installation, carefully start installing your lights. Here’s a list of things to consider when putting up your lights;
- Don’t set up your lights on trees that are touching power lines.
- Don’t install your lights in a space close to water or heat.
- If a cord is in a high foot traffic area, tape it down. You can also install the cords in a place with low traffic, like on the side or against the wall.
- Don’t attach light strings with staples or nails.
- Don’t surpass the maximum load capacity of your outlet or the lights for a safe Christmas light installation.
5. Get a Timer
You probably take pride in your DIY Christmas lights setup if you love Christmas. After going through the hassle of installing your lights, the last thing you want to do is forget to turn them on.
Worse, you might pay more for electricity if you fail to turn it off when you don’t need it. Getting a light timer is an easy solution for this.
More importantly, a timer is great for setting up Christmas lights safely, mainly if you use incandescent bulbs. They produce more heat and could be a fire hazard if you leave them on too long.
Ensure you don’t surpass the maximum wattage on the timer. Note that you might need to buy more timers depending on how many Christmas lights you have.
Additional Christmas Lights Installation Safety Tips
The following are other Christmas lights safety precautions you should take during installation;
- Use Christmas lights that a nationally recognized testing laboratory approved for safe use.
- Follow the manufacturer’s instructions that accompany your Christmas lights.
- Only connect up to three strands of incandescent lights together. Each strand increases the current going through the wire, increasing the risk of overloading circuits and causing a fire.
- Ensure your doors, windows, or heavy furniture don’t pinch the cords when you install them because it could damage their insulation.
Hire a Professional to Help you Set up Christmas lights safely in Minneapolis
If you think setting up your Christmas lights safely is overwhelming, you don’t have to do it yourself. Hire a Christmas lights installation service to ensure a safe installation in your home.
At Clean and Clear Lighting, we help you plan and design your holiday lighting display and install it safely. Contact us now for a free quote!
