With the holidays growing ever closer many people will begin decorating their homes inside and out. During the holidays we love to celebrate with dazzling lights and decorations that require power. During the holiday season the extra power load can cause a number of electrical hazards. In order to stay safer this holiday season Simon Electric will share some essential electrical safety tips when decorating and lighting up your home for this year’s holiday display.
Outdoor Christmas Lights Dangers & Precautions
When decorating for the holidays, Christmas lights are used inside and outside the home. When hanging lights make sure to use exterior rated lights for outside decorating. Exterior lights have additional coating and safety components to withstand the outside elements. When hanging lights never connect more than three strands together. By exceeding three strands you can trip or short out the circuit or worse it can cause overheating and a fire. It is essential to avoid overloading the circuits when plugging in your holiday lights. When using exterior lighting and decorations, make sure to always plug into a GFCI outlet to ensure the safety of the home. Never use damaged or corroded Christmas light strands, cords, plugs or electrical ornaments. Make sure to inspect each electrical plug and cording for any damage or exposed wiring. If any of the wiring is exposed they can cause fires and shouldn’t be used especially when decorating the home’s exterior. As the exterior lights may be exposed to rain or moisture make sure to protect each connection point. Never have the connecting plugs on the ground whenever possible. There are ground guards that can be used to prevent water from entering the plugs.
Christmas Tree & Holiday Decorating Safety
When decorating inside the home, make sure to use tree safe lighting. Some lights can create enough heat where they can burn live trees. Again never exceed three light strands of lights. Like exterior decorations and lighting, inspect the cord and plugs for any damage or corrosion that can cause an electrical hazard. At times rodent will invade the garage and begin chewing on holiday storage items. When getting out your holiday decorations always check for any sign of pest activity or damage to the electrical cords and plugs before ever using them. When you begin to decorate the inside of the home avoid over using a single outlet. Many people will get power strips to provide power to all of the decorations. However, you can overheat or overload the circuit which can cause the breaker to trip or even a fire. To ensure the household’s safety never overload the circuits and spread out the power load throughout the home.
Electrical & Lighting Services in Delray Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter & Boca Raton & Palm Beach County Florida
Simon Electric has a few more general safety tips. Never leave any light or decorations on at night. Make sure to unplug or use a power strip with a power off button. Another option is to invest in outlet timers to which turn off all power when desired. Second, make sure to keep cords and other electrical components out of reach of children and pets. Young children often pull on the cords wrong and can damage the plug and wiring. Pets can easily chew through cords exposing the wiring. Make sure to consider electrical safety this holiday season and seek every possible way to ensure your home’s safety. For electrical inspection, repair and more contact Simon Electric and schedule our services today.
