As the holiday season quickly approaches, now is a great time to learn more about holiday electrical safety tips in anticipation of decorating. A few simple steps can make a big difference in how safe you and your family are this holiday season.
1. Upgrading Lights and Decorations
Most homeowners in the Treasure Coast area are switching to LED holiday lights and decorations. These upgraded versions of the old classics are much more efficient, reducing environmental impact. They are also brighter and safer if you have little kids around your decorations.
2. Inspect Everything First
Whether hanging up lights or decorations from previous years or unpacking new items, you should inspect everything for wear. Look for frayed or damaged wires, bulbs that aren’t lighting, flickering, and wires that become hot to the touch after a few minutes of runtime. If the safety of any of your decorations is in question, toss them and buy something new. Saving a few dollars is not worth the safety risk.
3. Smart Purchase Options
When shopping for new decorations, you should look for items approved by the Underwriter’s Laboratories Label, or UL for short. This labeling is recognized at a global level and indicates that very specific safety standards were followed during the manufacturing process. This label applies to electrical items as well as other safety standards.
4. Tripping Hazards
Be careful where you decide to place your decorations and cords. Avoid running lines right across high-traffic areas. This could result in a trip hazard, which could injure a person and damage electrical cords.
5. Consider Powering Your Decorations
Your home’s outlets and breaker panels can handle a certain amount of power draw. Excessing these limitations can result in a fire hazard, damage to your decorations, and even electrical shock. Contact our team if you would like us to review your current electrical setup to determine if it can handle your holiday plans.
6. Don’t Forget Efficiency
Modern holiday decorations are very efficient; however, you can take additional steps to boost that efficiency. For example, use a timer to control when your decorations are on. Run them for a few hours in the evening. Avoid keeping them on all night or when you are away from home.
7. Extension Cord Use
Inspect all your extension cords before hooking them up to your lights and decorations. Make sure the cords are intact. You shouldn’t see any exposed wires or dents in the product. Also, follow the indoor/outdoor guidelines for your cords. Use extension cords designed for that specific location, and don’t place cords under rugs or across any walkways.
You should also ensure that you’re not hooking too many items up to extension cords. People assume you expand your power capabilities using extension cords and power strips. This isn’t true, and you’re still working with your current electrical provisions. You could end up tripping a breaker if you plug in too many items simultaneously.
8. Indoor Versus Outdoor Decorations
When you shop for new holiday decorations, you will typically notice that they are rated for indoor or outdoor use. Ensure you follow these guidelines for electrical safety and protect your decorations’ integrity. Outdoor products are usually constructed to withstand inclement weather, exposure to moisture, etc. Indoor products aren’t generally as robust and can be dangerous to use outdoors.
If you would like assistance with your home’s electrical system in anticipation of your holiday décor, look to our professional electricians at Stott Brothers Electric in Port St. Lucie, FL. In addition to electrical inspections, we also provide electrical repair, EV charging installation, surge protection, and more. We also complete panel upgrades, landscape lighting, generator service, etc. Our local, family-owned business is proud to serve the entire Treasure Coast area. Customer satisfaction is our top priority on every home project.
To get started on your holiday lighting, contact Stott Brothers Electric to schedule an appointment.
