Before draw the light out of storage , believe these helpful crest to keep yourself secure while you work .
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Twinklingoutdoor Christmas lightsare an iconic holiday tradition . As the time of year approach , many many homeowners begin illuminate the cold , dark nights with brilliant multicolor bulbs . Red and greenish lights can be seen blink on the Tree and eaves of nearby homes , give every neighborhood a unambiguously festive look .
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However , hang Christmas lightscan be hazardous if you do n’t take proper safety gadget guard . A quick stumble up the ravel can lead to a serious trauma , while careless propagation corduroy placement could cause accidental burning or may even spark a fervency . To help secure the holiday season is as fun and stress - free as possible , keep these safety concerns in thinker and comply these guard to invalidate putting yourself at risk .
John Granen
1. Always Inspect Lights Before Hanging Them
The first thing you should do before hanging the Christmas lights is to inspect the wad , wires , and socket for any problems . Over time , Christmas spark strings can get damaged , so it ’s important to calculate for any fraying or bare wires , promiscuous connections , faulty plugs , and cracked or broken socket . If you practice a damaged strand of lights , there is a gamy chance that one or more of the lights will not work by rights . Even if the lighting do function , you increase the peril of electrocution and fire , so it ’s dear to deal with any issues before consumption .
2. Replace Missing or Broken Bulbs Before Hanging the Lights
When you are checking the Christmas lights , it ’s necessary toreplace or repair any bulbsthat are missing or broken . Missing bulb can prevent the full strand from dismount up decent and may even interfere with attached Christmas visible light strings . Broken light bulb can also preclude the light train from illuminating , and may increase the risk of electrocution , flaming , or short circuits . To derogate any potential risks and ensure the Christmas light function decent , check that to substitute missing and broken bulbs before hang the light .
3. Use the Right Lights for Outdoors
Another broker to ascertain before hang the Christmas lights is whether the string of lights you have is rated for outdoor use . If you accidentally purchase or grab the indoor Christmas lights , there is a higher chance that the snow and ice will damage the string of lights . likewise , you should always use an propagation corduroy that is rated for outdoor enjoyment , since indoor extension cords are not designed to handle the cold , wet , freezing environment .
to boot , it ’s a effective idea to plug the Christmas lights into a earth - fault racing circuit interrupter ( GFCI ) outlet which will automatically close off power to the luminance if it detects electrical energy fall through an unintended way to the ground . This character of job is usually because of wet , discredited wiring , or faulty lighting , giving you a backup safety measure to keep likely hazards .
4. Check the Weather and Clear the Area Before You Begin
The weather should flirt a big purpose in deciding if it is good or not to hang the Christmas light . It should n’t need to be suppose , but do n’t climb up a ladder in the middle of a snow storm to hang your Christmas lights . Similarly , quash do work in heavy pelting , strong winds , and icy weather condition to reduce the risk of personal injury . Hanging Christmas light usually only takes a couple of hours , so if you wake up to stormy weather , it ’s beneficial to agitate this job to the next twenty-four hours rather than risking hurt .
5. Avoid Hanging Christmas Lights with a Staple Gun
Any fasteners that risk damaging the extension electric cord or Christmas lights are a poor choice . This let in staples , tholepin , drawing pin , nails , screws , and more . Using these fasteners can damage the wire sheathing or they may even thrust the wire completely if the DIYer is not give tending . This increase the peril of electric shocks , ardor , and short tour , which can ruin your holiday . Instead , consider investing in gutter clips , velcro standoff , obliterable adhesive lure , or even temporary plastic conduits to mount the Christmas lights .
6. Stay Off the Roof
Laying or kneeling by the edge of the roof to hang Christmas lights is a bad thought , especially when there is snow and meth to cope with while you work . rather , it ’s commend to hang Christmas lights using a ravel to thin the risk of unintentionally slip , tripping , or falling from the cap . It ’s also recommended to have at least one other person nearby to keep the ravel steady , hand you token , and call for aid in typeface of an emergency .
7. Take Ladder Safety Seriously
While work from a ladder is considered safer than kneel by the boundary of the roof , there are still many safety precautions to keep in mind to minimize your jeopardy this holiday time of year . Before using a ladder always ensure to inspect it for any mar and reset the ground where you will be set the ravel .
Extension ladders should model at least three feet above the sharpness of the cap and you should always maintain at least three item of physical contact while climbing , standing , or work on the ladder . to boot , DIYers involve to be cognizant of any nearby obstructions , like electric wires or Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree branches , and should avoid leaning too far to one side or the other when on the ravel . or else , simply go up down and reposition the ravel as needed so you do n’t accidentally tip the ravel .
8. Turn Off the Lights When You’re Away
Whiletwinkling Christmas lightsare a welcome peck when you get home , it ’s impertinent to turn off the light when you bequeath to concentrate the risk of fire or inadvertent electrocution occurring without your knowledge . A great way to assure the lights are off when you are away or asleep is to use a timer which will become the lights off at a specific time of the day . you’re able to even get a fresh timer that can connect to your roving phone through an app , giving you remote control over the lights , so you’re able to turn the Christmas lights on or off as you please throughout the day and dark .
9. Don’t Overload the Circuit
broadly , innovative LED Christmas luminosity apply importantly less electricity than aged incandescent bulbs , but it ’s still important to be aware of just how many Christmas light string you are connect to a single release . In most case , you should avoid connect more than three strings of Christmas lights together . Check the direction put up by the producer to determine the safe terminal point and avoid using more than one outlet extender per exit . The few connections to a single outlet there are , the well .
10. Mount Extension Cords and Christmas Lights in a Safe Location
After checking to check that you are using outdoor - rated Christmas lights and an outside - rated extension electric cord , the next step is to get on the telegram in a dependable location . The point where the light source and the extension cord meet should be kept open of puddles , blow , glass , and damp land so that wet does not cause the Christmas lights to little circuit .
Also , you should avoid running the extension cord or lights through a window or room access crack where the cord can become pinched , mangled , or fray , leave to an increased jeopardy of a short circuit , fire , or inadvertent shock . rather , link up the Christmas lights to an outlet locate on the outside of the domicile .
Credit:John Granen
