If you aren’t someone who plugged in all the holiday lights at 11:59 PM on November 30th, worry not. You still have time to get your lights up safely. Here are a few holiday string light safety tips to protect your family from fire hazards or electrical problems throughout the season.
Avoid Overloading Your Electrical Outlets
Of all the lessons to take away from A Christmas Story, avoiding overloading your electrical outlets is perhaps the most important. Even with surge protectors and power strips, you need to pay attention to the kind of demand you’re placing on each outlet. An overloaded electrical outlet is a serious fire hazard. Some signs that you’re overloading your electrical outlets include:
- Dimming lights
- Buzzing sounds from the outlet
- The outlet, plugs, or power strip feeling warm to the touch
- Burning odors
Inspect the Cords Beforehand
Before hanging up old lights you pulled from the holiday bin in the garage, take time to inspect them. Any exposed wire from chewed or torn cords can create a potential fire hazard. This is also a great time to check that all bulbs are screwed correctly. If anything’s wrong with your string lights, consider buying a new set instead of trying to make repairs. Often, string lights hang and power on without supervision, so it’s best to play it safe here.
Turn the Lights Off at Night
There’s definitely some magic in leaving the holiday lights on through the night, as that’s when they look best. However, leaving lights on too long encourages them to overheat. This is an issue if they’re touching any heat-sensitive objects that could potentially catch fire. It’s also wise to turn the lights off when leaving home, especially if you don’t have vigilant neighbors to call if something happens. As a rule, if you aren’t around to watch the lights and act in case of an emergency, it’s best to turn them off.
Use these holiday string light safety tips to protect your family indoors while still adding some festive spirit to your home! If you plan to take the lights outside, keep in mind some additional safety tips for outdoor installation. For example, you want to make sure your ladders are stable and avoid hanging lights on your own. Ultimately, the goal is to give your home some warm holiday charm without any overnight worries.
