Whether you’re looking for the Clark Griswold effect or hoping for a more sedate approach to your holiday decorating, outdoor holiday lighting safety is critical around the holidays. There’s nothing that puts a damper on the holidays quite like a house fire! To keep your home safe from the hazards of holiday lighting, make sure you follow a few basic safety precautions.
Check over the strands before you put them up. Make sure there is no fraying and that the wires aren’t showing through the plastic. If you find a strand that doesn’t look right, even if you aren’t sure why, dispose of it immediately. Ideally, you should cut off the plug at the end so that no one else can use it, either.
Never connect more than three strands of lights in a row. Sure, you want that brilliant holiday display, but it’s not worth overloading your extension cord.
Avoid using a metal ladder when you’re hanging lights.
Turn off the light display before you leave the house or go to bed. If something does happen, you want to be on hand to find out about it instead of halfway across town or, worse, fast asleep.
Avoid running extension cords or lights through water. If there’s an area where you know water pools in the rain, don’t run your cords through it, either. The first time it rains after you put up the lights, go out and check to see if any cords are in unsafe locations.
Check the labels on your lights. Make sure they’re intended for outdoor use before 
you put them out. Likewise, lights intended for only outdoor use should not be used indoors.
Make sure lights are fastened securely. Make sure you’re using safe connections to attach them to the house or yard, and ensure that all of your decorations are fixed firmly in their locations.
Need more tips about keeping your home and family safe during the holidays? Dazzling light displays may convince thieves and others that you have enough money to warrant a visit from them over the holidays. Contact us today for more information about setting up a security system and preparing your home for the holidays.
