Important Christmas Light Safety Tips For Your Home
During the holiday season, many families in the Milwaukee area enjoy decorating the inside and outside of their homes. Making our houses cheerful and inviting with holiday lights and decor is a cherished tradition for many. With the excitement of the season, it is easy to overlook the hazards that come along with beautiful decorations. More than 18,000 Americans end up in the ER for injuries caused by Christmas decor each year.
To ensure that your holiday season is merry, bright, and, most importantly, safe, it is important to follow a few Christmas light safety tips. From hanging, storing, and taking down your Christmas decor, read on to be sure you are doing it right.
Consider Switching to LED Christmas Lights
Although they can be more expensive, LED lights can offer significant benefits. LED lights use 75% less energy and can last up to 25 times as long as incandescent light bulbs. LED lights produce very little heat, which makes them a safer Christmas light option.
Don’t Plug In Too Many Lights
If you want to go all out with your decor this year, make sure you have the right electrical equipment (properly rated power strips and amp power) to do so. The number of light strands that can be connected together depends on the strands’ wattage and the maximum watt capacity of the house circuit. A general rule of thumb is to stay under three strands per outlet.
If you plug too many lights into one outlet, you can cause circuits to break, electrical problems, and a fire hazard.
Don’t Leave Lights On Too Long
When holiday lights are left on for too long, you run the risk of having them overheat. It’s good practice to always turn your holiday lights off when you are not home or when you go to sleep. Even LED lights can occasionally overheat and cause fires when left on for too long. If you are prone to forget, there are many automated light options for both indoor and outdoor holiday lights.
Pick The Right Kind Of Light
While indoor and outdoor lights look and function similarly, they should never be used interchangeably. The convenience of using them in place of each other is not worth the potential hazards and repercussions. It is very important that each type is only used in its proper area.
Indoor lights have been specifically tested to be less of a fire hazard for tree decorating, while outdoor lights are made to withstand cold and rainy weather conditions. Outdoor lights could pose a fire hazard on the Christmas tree since they are often hotter, and indoor lights likely won’t survive the snowy conditions of winter.
Dispose Of Old Lights
Before hanging, each strand should be checked for damage. If the strand is old or irreparable, it should not be plugged in and turned on. When an old cord begins to fray or is damaged, it can cause a hazard. If your Christmas lights have been around for a long time, an upgrade might be a good idea. Modern lights are often safer and are equipped with fused plugs to prevent sparks in the event of a short circuit. When disposing of your old lights, check with your city or county to determine any holiday light recycling drop-off dates in place.
Inspect Your Bulbs Annually
It is important to replace any missing or broken bulbs before you string up your porch or tree to avoid any electrocution, injuries, or fires. Most lights come with replacement bulbs, but you can typically also purchase replacements online or at your local store. You can also invest in a bulb tester, which will reveal any problem areas in your strands and point out which bulbs are dead. Many bulb testers come with repair kits, which help prevent the need to buy an entirely new strand.
Don’t Overlook Any Christmas Light Safety Tips & Have A Plan
Even if you are extremely prepared and follow every Christmas light safety tip, accidents and emergencies happen. If you are looking for a property restoration company, Kelmann Restoration is here to help. Kelmann Restoration is here for you if an emergency situation occurs and causes damage to the inside or outside of your home.
If your Christmas decorations don’t go as planned this holiday season, don’t hesitate to contact Kelmann Restoration to learn more about our emergency home restoration services.