Installation of Outdoor Christmas Lights
Hanging Christmas lights to decorate the outside of your home during the holiday season is a beloved tradition throughout North America. However, in addition to the technical knowledge of how to hang and connect your outdoor Christmas lights to a power source, there are several safety tips you need to know about before you begin. Put safety first this holiday season by doing your homework and brushing up on the essentialls of installing outdoor Christmas lights. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Preparing for Installation
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1
Check your outdoor power outlets to make sure they have ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs). These allow you to connect standard three-pronged plugs to the outlets. You can purchase portable units if your current outlets don't have GFCIs. You can tell if your outlets are lacking GFCIs because the outlet will only have slots for two prongs.
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2
Replace any burned-out bulbs in the strands of Christmas lights before installation. You can look for burned-out bulbs by plugging each string into an indoor outlet as you remove them from their boxes or storage spaces.
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3
Take accurate measurements of the areas you want to cover outdoors, and be sure to add an extra allowance. It is recommended that you add at least 30 feet to your total measurements to ensure that you have plenty of room to connect the strands to the power source.
Install Christmas Lights
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4
Use a sturdy ladder to reach your home's gutters, and have a helper feed you each strand of lights bit by bit so you can clip them into place. Do not use staples or nails to keep the strands in place, as this can puncture the wiring and create a safety hazard. Use the plastic hangers designed specifically for Christmas lights.
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5
Connect the strands to an extension cord, and run the extension cord to your outdoor power source(s). You may need to use more than one electrical outlet, depending on how elaborate your setup is. Do not let the strands get tangled up; you don't want to lose track of which strand is connected to which extension cord.
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6
Plug the extension cord(s) into the power source(s) and enjoy!
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Tips & Warnings
Choose bulbs that produce low levels of heat. This will save you money on electricity and prevent an amperage overload.
Make sure the lights that you are hanging are designed for outdoor use, as per manufacturer specifications, before you hang and install them.
Do not connect more than three strings of Christmas lights to a single power source, unless manufacturer instructions indicate that it is safe to do so.
Unplug the lights before you change any burned-out bulbs to prevent the possibility of an electric shock.
Always comply with municipal lighting and electrical codes.
References
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/Photos.com/Getty Images
