The holidays are the most wonderful time of the year.
Itβs also the time for decorations, Christmas trees and a large array of holiday lighting displays. Christmas lights add beauty and a real holiday spirit to the season, yet they can also drain your electricity and create safety issues. Here are some electrical safety tips to ensure your holidays stay bright.
- Plan your displays accordingly. Prior to decorating, determine how many outlets are available and where they are located.
- Inspect all electrical decorations for damage before use. Cracked or damaged sockets, loose or bare wires and loose connections may cause a serious shock, even start a fire.
- Match power needs (amperage) of electrical products with amperage rating of extension cords.
- When putting up outdoor decorations, exercise caution when decorating near power lines. Keep yourself and your equipment at least 10 feet from power lines.
- Avoid overloading outlets and only plug one high-wattage appliance into each outlet. Overloaded outlets are a common cause of holiday fires.
- Never connect more than three strings of incandescent lights. More than three strands may not only trip a circuit breaker, but also can cause a fire.
- Make sure spotlights used to illuminate decorations are well-ventilated, protected from weather and a safe distance from flammable items.
- Always unplug electrical decorations before replacing bulbs or fuses.
- Turn off all indoor and outdoor electrical decorations before leaving home or going to sleep.
- To avoid problems, always purchase electrical decorations and lights from reputable retailers.
In addition, faulty wiring and an overused outlet can create potential hazards that could dim the brightness of your holiday celebration.
Make your Christmas bright by putting safety first in everything you do.