Holiday Guide to Electrical Safety

Holiday Guide to Electrical Safety

Holiday Guide to Electrical Safety

When it is time to hang the lights and decorate the tree, you should be aware of a few guidelines for electrical safety. As electrical contractors in Apopka, FL, we understand the ins and outs of electrical safety and the codes to follow. Here are some precautions and tips for keeping your family safe with electrical safety this holiday season.

Before Hanging Your Lights

For starters, before you hang your lights, you need to count your available outlets. Plan your decorating around the placement and availability of your outlets. All electrical decorations need to be inspected as well. You will want to check them for frayed, cracked, or damaged wires. You should also check all the bulbs. Lastly, before you hang up your lights, make sure large trees will not bring your decorations near any power lines.

Decorating Safety Tips

Many of the electrical decorations you will buy from major stores undergo vigorous testing and inspection. Try to use only Underwriters Laboratories (UL) approved decorations. It will say UL on the packaging when you are shopping.

When hanging decorations, never nail or staple through electrical cords or wires. They make safety clips designed to hang your lights and electrical decorations safely. Also, you do not want to overload your outlets with electrical decorations.

Follow the Instructions

Make sure that your decorations are used in the appropriate setting. Your indoor lights should only be used indoors, and outdoors only outside. Make sure you make good use of heavy-duty surge protectors and extension cords. Also, never do electrical repairs on your own unless you have the proper licenses and training.

As a rule of thumb, make sure your light strings stay low in numbers. No more than three strung together at once.

Be Mindful of Energy Usage

When you are getting lights to decorate this holiday season, consider LED lights. They will use less energy and do not run as hot compared to traditional incandescent bulbs. Also, timers help keep energy use down. If you do not have timers in place, make sure you shut the lights off when you go to bed at night.

Other Useful Tips

Many electrical safety tips for the holiday seasons may seem like common sense, but others can come to a shock. Make sure that you do not leave any outlets or extension cords exposed to harsh elements. Some other electrical safety tips to keep in mind are:

  • Inspect All Outlets in Use Regularly
  • Keep drapes and indoor flammable materials away from decorations
  • Keep Electrical Cords Straight
  • Do NOT let your children or pets play with or chew on any electrical cord.
  • Do not leave decorations up too long. They are not designed for year-round use.

If you want to practice electrical safety but do not know where to start, talk to our electrical contractors in Apopka, FL to hear more. Contact us to hear about our extensive electrical services today.

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