Holiday Lighting Safety Tips

During the holidays, we decorate our homes with hundreds of colorful lights that are draped from gutters, your roof, the front door, bushes and trees. Each year homes and businesses put up millions of lights in the last few weeks of the year in celebration. Although you will want to be as festive as possible, it is always important to keep safety in mind when putting together your decorations.

Here are a few tips from your electrician in Salt Lake City to help you avoid common lighting problems so that you can stay safe this holiday season.

1. If you use a live Christmas tree, make sure that you keep it watered through the entire season. You should also use LED bulbs in all lights and decorations on this tree. Other bulbs generate excess heat, which can cause a fire if your tree becomes dry.

2. Look over all strings of lights thoroughly before using them, both indoors and outdoors. If you notice any frayed wires, worn spots, insulation gaps, broken sockets or hot wires, do not use those lights.

3. Pay close attention to how many strings of lights you have plugged into each cord. If you plug too many strings into a single outlet, it could lead to overheating and fire.

4. Do not hang your lights with screws, nails or tacks. This can lead to damaged cords, which could result in shorts.  Use insulated hooks when attaching your cords to another surface.

5. Ensure that all outdoor lights are plugged into GFCI outlets. These outlets provide an additional layer of protection against short circuits, especially those caused by water and other outdoor elements.

6. Make sure that you are not using any indoor lights outdoors. These lights do not have sufficient insulation to withstand the elements outside and can deteriorate more quickly.

When done properly, your holiday lighting can be both beautiful and safe for your family. If you need any assistance, or have any questions about the safety of your lights, give Yes! a call at 844-216-9300.