It’s easy to get caught up in the beauty and warm, fuzzy feelings that holiday lights can bring, but it’s important to keep in mind that these outdoor lights can pose as electrical and fire hazards to you and your family. Keep your home and your family safe this holiday season and ensure that everything stays merry and bright — the way it’s supposed to be.
Our lighting staff at The Light House Gallery wants to help by offering you a few safety tips in this blog post for your holiday outdoor lighting. If you’re looking for year-round outdoor lighting for your home or office, shop our high-quality selection in our Missouri lighting showrooms, located in Branson and Springfield. Contact us today for more information, or feel free to stop by either of our locations at your best convenience.
Continue reading below for important outdoor lighting safety tips to keep in mind this holiday season!
Inspect Your Holiday Light Strings
Before you even start to hang your string lights, check to ensure that any wires or individual lights aren’t damaged. If they are, discard the lights and purchase a new set. Sure, this might be inconvenient and costly, but it’s a small price to pay when it comes to the safety of your home and family.
Use The Right Light Bulbs
One of the worst mistakes you can make that can be a potential fire hazard is using the wrong light bulbs. First of all, you want to ensure everything you install outside of your home is marked for outdoor use, especially your lights, as they may not be able to withstand inclement weather conditions. You also want to make sure the lights and electrical equipment you purchase is from a legitimate manufacturer or brand.
When you have the wrong lights installed, you create the chance of the lights heating up more so than is necessary, which is the main cause of fires created by holiday lights.
Our favorite solution? Most holiday string lights you can buy at your local department store these days offer an LED lighting option. Opt for these, as they tend to be more energy efficient and don’t radiate heat like traditional holiday string lights do.
Install Your Light Strings Correctly
If you have never installed holiday outdoor lighting before, ask for the help of a seasoned friend or family member. You can also hire experienced teams to do the work for you. But if you tackle the project yourself, make sure you do what is necessary to install them the right way.
For example, you never want to use nails or staples to attach string lights to your home and you need to ensure to keep all extension cords clear of any snow or standing water. You also want to ensure you take down these lights within 90 days of putting them up to prevent the risk of a fire breakout. Check out some other tips from the Electrical Safety Foundation International here.
Shop Outdoor Lighting at The Light House Gallery
If you’re looking to upgrade the outdoor lighting that will stay on your home through the holidays and year-round, we’re sure you’ll find something you love in our large selection of light fixtures at The Light House Gallery in Missouri.
Our lighting specialists can help you find outdoor lights that will look great no matter the occasion, which is what we’ve been doing for the local community for more than 50 years. Whether you’re seeking new outdoor wall lights or landscape lighting, we know we can find you lighting solutions that match your personal style and budget.
Contact us today for more information, and feel free to swing by either our Branson or Springfield lighting showroom today!
