Christmas lights safety tips

So, I was putting up lights around my home over the weekend and thought about this topic. Admittedly I don’t think about how safe the lights are before I put them up, so I thought this would be some interesting research. There are a few things to consider when putting up your Christmas lights for the holiday and yes, I know you the last thing you think about is safety.

A broken Christmas light can lead to shocks, fire and cuts. So, before you decide to put you your light check all the bulbs make sure they are not broken. You also want to check the wire make sure it is not frayed and free of any damage. In most cases you are given an extra set of Christmas bulbs with your lights so if see any damage replace your bulbs before you put up your lights.

You want to make sure when you are putting up lights in your home or outside your home there is a difference between indoor and outdoor Christmas lights they are clearly marked on the packages. However, when you put the light away for next year make sure you keep indoor and outdoor lights together so there no mix up for next year.  The same goes for any weather proof Christmas lights.

All Christmas light you use must have the UL seal on the package. This means the lights meet the American National Standards.

The cords or more importantly the connections where your light cord and extension cord should not sit on the ground where water can gather to create a puddle, snow or ice.

Understand the Christmas lights themselves will not start a fire. It would be a damaged cord or overloaded outlet and extension cords which could start a fire so please make sure you do not overload your outlets.

I hope this is helpful as always please leave a comment

Mark Carbajal