Planning on an exciting and colorful lighting display this holiday season? Whether you have grandiose plans of intricate illumination design, or you just want to wire up your tree, hanging lights can present a few hazards to the unprepared. Electrical safety may take a backseat for some, but to the experts at Kolb Electric, nothing could be more important! Protect yourself and your home with these light hanging tips.
Light Safety: Understand Your Strands
As you may expect, much of electrical safety has to do with the product being used. Keep these tips in mind when selecting your lighting choices this year:
- Ensure your lighting is protected. For the best results and safety measures, use GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlets for all of your lighting. If you’re unfamiliar, these protect your outlets from becoming overloaded, ensuring safety by shutting off rather than allowing an overload to take place.
- Avoid sharp tools for fixing. When hanging lights, try to not use nails, staples or tacks. They may seem like a fine idea, but keep in mind accidents are called accidents for a reason. Piercing a strand can present a very serious electrical concern that may result in burns in the now, or fire in the later. Use clips or hooks for the safest method of hanging.
- Keep them neat. Avoid creating a mass of wiring that may present a threat of tripping or tangling to those in your home. This is most easily avoided by planning out your lighting thoroughly. Have a plan, and formulate a method that keep everything neat and safely tucked away.
- Don’t hang lights near other appliances, or near heat sources. Even the light from an incandescent bulb can melt through wires, and present a threat of fire. Avoid hanging lights near any other appliance or electrical source to ensure complete safety.
- Use LED lights. LEDs (Light Emitting Diode) use less power, which is nearly always a good thing where electricity is concerned. This can save you money on energy costs this season, and more importantly, they generate considerably less heat.
All The Rest: Ladder Tips
If you plan on hanging wiring above eye-level, odds are you’ll be using a ladder. Remember these tips when hanging your lights:
- Don’t use a damaged ladder. Maybe that bent rung has been hanging in there for years now, but that doesn’t mean it won’t snap this time. Don’t risk your back!
- Secure. Ensure that your ladder is making full contact on all four points, and engage the braces.
- Wear clean, slip-resistant shoes.
- Three points of contact. Only move one limb at a time. Swift, excessive movement creates instability, which will often result in a fall.
Electrical Safety With Kolb Electric in VA, MD, And DC
Have any questions or concerns regarding your holiday lighting this year? Contact us today at Kolb Electric! We provide industry-leading solutions for all of your electrical needs, and bring only the very best in service and skill to our consumers!
