The festive season is known for being both cosy and bright. The best part is driving past houses and seeing who has the best outdoor lights and decorations. But safety comes first, and you don’t want to be the person having to deal with electrical issues and possibly a fire on Christmas.
Here are some things to consider when putting your Christmas lights up.
Are Your Lights Safe?
If you like to hoard Christmas decorations over years you may be saving money, but it could also cause the most problems. If your Christmas lights have been packed away these could easily become electrically unsafe. Always inspect them before use.
Things You Should Do:
- Always read and follow instructions. Instructions aren’t there for no reason, they’re to make sure you do things correctly, efficiently and safely.
- If you need to replace any bulbs on Christmas lights make sure they’re the same type and rating as the original. The lights were built to cater for those exact bulbs, if you branch out or look for something similar it could go very wrong.
- Check the lights aren’t broken or damaged. Loose wires can cause shortages and fires.
- Even if you use outdoor lighting make sure plugs and transformers are plugged indoors.
- When putting lights on Christmas trees ensure they aren’t too close to flammable decorations.
Things You Should Never Do:
- Never use lights that are intended for indoor use outside and vice versa. Lights are made for specific purposes and they all use different amounts of energy, make sure you use the lights for what they’re made for.
- Do not connect lights whilst they’re still in packaging, not only will this cause overheating but can even cause a fire.
- Don’t overload sockets. This can easily be done, and people will use extension leads and adaptors. This should be avoided if possible.
- Never try to repair faulty lights, you should just replace them. There’s no best of a bad situation when it comes to electrics as it can cause serious damage.
If you do encounter problems or need advice feel free to get in touch by calling: 0800 368 9855. Check out our electrical services for more information.
