Today the choices for lights, ornaments, animated characters and holiday displays are endless and can satisfy any curiosity and desire for holiday cheer. Whether you are just starting out with your first display or you are a long-time display artist, always check the products for the UL listing.
Follow all safety instructions carefully, making sure not to overload the sets of lights and the receptacle you are plugging them into. Be sure that your outdoor receptacles are GFCI protected. Test all GFI receptacles for proper operation by pressing the test button and the reset button. If you don’t have an outdoor receptacle accessible for your lighting project, it may be time to call in a professional.
Never run cords through windows for any type of lighting display. If the GFI receptacle fails to reset, don’t use that receptacle and contact a professional. You need to ensure that all of your exterior receptacles have a weatherproof “bubble-style” cover that closes when the cord is installed and plugged in, to keep water away from the outlet.
If the exterior receptacle does not have a weatherproof “bubble-style” cover, contact a professional to install one or more. When using extension cords for your holiday lighting, be sure they are weather-rated and safe from tears, cracks and breaks. Don’t use plastic bags, plastic tape, rubber tape, duct tape or any kind of tape as a temporary repair to extension cords. Discard and replace with new safe cords.
Electrical timers are a great added feature to your holiday lighting system. Many home stores have weatherproof timer setups included with their weatherproof cords and plugs. Timers are a great feature to keep you from having to go out into the bad weather to turn lights on and off.
Holiday light displays can be very festive and increase holiday cheer. Being safe and smart with your lighting systems is an important thing to remember, in order to keep the holiday safe and cheerful. It’s never too early to start your planning and purchasing process. The holidays will be here before we know it!
