Schedule a Consultation(732) 370-2780
The holiday season is just around the corner! If you’re like the many homeowners who have put decorating off as long as possible, you might feel a little intimidated by this fact. We’re here to tell you there’s a quick and easy way you can decorate your home’s exterior. Whether you’re determined to have the best lights on the block or you simply want to spread a little holiday cheer, follow these tips to safely make your home merry and bright.
When it comes to outdoor electronics, it’s important that the manufacturer’s directions for installation be followed. Never string more than 3 standard-size sets of lights together – doing so could cause a fuse to break or an electrical fire to start. Generally speaking, incandescent lights can typically only connect 3 to 6 strands. If you’re using LED lighting, you can connect up to twenty-five strands together.
Before installing any exterior lighting, check to make sure that all of the bulbs are intact. If a bulb is burnt out, replace it immediately. No matter what the voltage is, it’s best practice to replace bulbs that don’t work. If none of the lights work when you plug them in, check for fuses that might have blown and replace them immediately. Always plug exterior, electrical holiday decor into GFCI outlets. These Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters help prevent shock. In the event that the outlet comes into contact with water, electrical power to the outlet is cut off, preventing damage. Keep in mind when decorating indoors that surge protectors should be used to avoid issues with overloading circuits.
Use a timer on your indoor and outdoor holiday decor. Doing so gives you full control of when your decorations turn on and off. You’ll never have to worry about your decorations staying on longer than they should be, whether you’re home or not!
Doing so will ensure you prevent damage to your holiday lights and be able to use them in the years to come. If you’re mounting lighting to your gutters or roof, use plastic hooks that are specially designed to hang lights without damaging your home.
The last thing you want is to string all lighting to your house only to find that you can’t plug them in. To avoid issues, measure the areas where you want to install lights as well as the distance these locations are from a power source. This way, when you’re installing, you know how much slack you’ll need to leave yourself to plug them in.
Standard home eaves require the use of an extension ladder to install holiday lighting. If your home has low eaves, you might be able to get away with using a step ladder. No matter what kind of ladder you’re using, make sure it is planted firmly on the ground prior to climbing. Lean it at a safe angle against your home that will allow you to climb without slipping. When leaning a ladder against your gutter, place a 2×4 in the gutter first to reinforce it. If you’re terrified of heights, hanging poles are going to become your new best friend this holiday season. They’re long poles that you can attach lighting to, making it easy to install string lights to trees, tall bushes, and lower gutters.
These exterior holiday decorating tips will help you get your home decorated safely in no time! To make decorating even simpler, trust the experts at A1 Dayton Electric, a professional Bucks County Christmas light installation company.