Holiday Display Tips from an Electrician
Here’s some tips to for a merry and bright display.
It’s that time of year again! The most wonderful time of the year! We’re already starting to see some holiday displays go up and know that many more will be powering on before you know it. Some may wait for National Christmas Lights Day on December 1st but the bulk of the lights will most likely go on just after Thanksgiving. If you’re ready to plan your display and light up the night, we’ve got some tips to help you do it right.
Avoid Blowing a Fuse When Hanging Christmas Lights
Stringing too many lights together and then plugging them into the wall will most likely result in a blown fuse, leaving you in the dark. In order to avoid this mishap, invest in LED light bulbs. Unlike incandescent bulbs which have filaments causing them to get hot, LEDs use a path of electrons and always stay cool. It’s best to use LED lights when connecting many strings together since they use less watts you’ll have a much smaller chance of tripping a breaker.
GFCI Outlets Are Your Friend
GFCI outlets sense the slightest difference in the amount of electricity between what enters a circuit and what leaves the circuit. Even a small variation, as little as 5 milliamps, will cause the circuit to trip within 1/10th of a second. This prevents people from getting electrocuted.
Unfortunately, when it comes to Christmas lights and GFCIs, generally all it takes to trip a circuit is for a little moisture to get into the outlet, cord, or lights. If this happens when the power is on, the circuit will trip, causing the lights and décor to go out. You’ll want to make sure that you’re keeping the area as dry as possible. When possible avoid using splitters or having to connect multiple extension cords.
Going Full Griswold? You May Need Extra Circuits
If you’re installing a lot of lights on your home, you may need to install new circuits to handle the load. If you’re not paying attention to the number of amps your lights are drawing, you could be creating a fire hazard. The bigger your holiday display the more power you’ll need. You may want to call in a licensed professional to help make sure you have the power supply you need.
You may also want to factor in solar power. Solar powered lights and solar powered power stakes can help alleviate the load you put on your house (and your wallet)! You can even find some with timers or install your own timers so you’re not running outside to turn them on and off every day.
Top 6 Christmas Light Tips
Use common sense
Avoid placing extension cords over sidewalks or high-traffic areas
Avoid placing extension cords in low areas that could become puddles
Test lights before hanging
Make sure pets can’t get to any of your cords or wires
Use approved light hangers not tacks, nails, or staples which can damage the insulation around the wires, creating a fire hazard.
We hope you have a merry and BRIGHT holiday season. If you need any extra GFCI outlets or other solutions to help you Griswold out, give us a call.
