Photo: Sam Howzit, Flickr Creative Commons
It’s the most wonderful time of the year!
As always, though, it’s important to keep things safe when mixing electricity with the outdoors. So this blog post from your trusted electricians at Wes Carver Electric will be outlining some basic tips to make your holiday lighting arrangement a safe setup.
- “Indoor” lights are labeled that way for a reason. Keep them indoors. They weren’t constructed to stand up to the cold and wet, and could spark a fire if exposed to the elements.
- Limit your lighting conga line to four. Strings of lights that plug into each other are great. But for safety’s sake, don’t piggyback more than three strings to the starter string.
- There are different types of power strips and extension cords. Some are for indoors, some for outdoors. Use the right ones in the right environments.
- Keep extension cords and power strips clear of water and snow. Just because it’s labeled for outdoor use doesn’t mean it should be left exposed to the elements. Try to store these items in dry spaces to keep sparks from flying.
- Plug outdoor lights into a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI or GFI) outlet or breaker. These monitor the flow of an electrical current in a circuit, and if there’s a disturbance, the GFCI breaks the circuit and shuts off the energy flow. This not only keeps serious electric shocks from happening, but cuts the risk of electrical fires and prevents damage to your expensive electrical appliances indoors.
- Save energy by using LED lights instead of incandescent lights. Your wallet will thank you, and LED lights look just as brilliant as incandescent ones! Plus, they’re only slightly pricier but you’d better believe they last longer.
- Use timers so lights switch on and off each night. Installing a timer is a great way to make sure your lights shine after sunset but shut off after everyone’s gone to bed. It saves you energy (and money) and ensures you don’t leave your lights on all day or night.
We wish you luck braving the ladder and stringing up those lights! As always, if you’re in need of some electrical expertise, don’t be afraid to ring up the most trusted electricians in Bucks County and Montgomery County. We’d be happy to inspect your holiday lighting setup and ensure its safety.
If you want, we’ll even install a backup generator to make sure your lights and heat stay on during this winter’s snowstorms. What do you say?