The holidays are a season of goodwill and light. The inner light most of us feel this time of year gets projected outward through countless holiday displays. Most of those displays—if not all—run on electricity. If you’re decking your home in the light of the season—whether inside or out—you’ll want to keep holiday electrical safety at top of mind. The following tips can help keep you safe while preparing and operating holiday displays.
Primary Power Plugs Always Go Last
If using an extension cord to connect your lighting display, remember: The plug that goes directly into the main power supply gets plugged in last. Plugging lights into a cord with live current flowing through it poses a risk of shock or electrocution. And if you change a bulb or fuse on a light string, remember to disconnect the primary plug. Always use the correct-sized bulb, too, or there’s a risk of overheating. Finally, it’s also a good idea to tightly wrap outside plug connections in electrical tape to help guard against adverse weather conditions.
Underwriters Lab (UL®)
Any plug-in electrical equipment used, should be labeled with a UL logo. This confirms that a respected third-party laboratory has tested the product, verifying it meets all current safety standards. Additionally, a green UL logo on lights and cords means they’re verified for indoor use; a red UL logo indicates indoor or outdoor use.
Live Christmas Trees and Holiday Electrical Safety
Many families enjoy decorating with a living tree. If you use a live tree, make sure there’s always water in its reservoir. As the tree ages over the holiday season, limbs and branches can dry out, too, creating a fire hazard if subjected to heat sources. These can include older, incandescent lights, candles, gas or propane heaters, and others.
GFCI Outlets and Holiday Electrical Safety
For outdoor displays, it’s critical to use Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) outlets. GFCIs cut power to the outlet upon detection of improper electric flow, usually caused by damp or wet conditions. Avoid using plugs without integrated GFCIs, or consider a portable model. Without GFCIs, you’re best advised not to do any outdoor decorating—they’re that important.
Use Power Wisely
Older, incandescent-based holiday lighting can be a significant pull on your home electrical system. As such, avoid using multiple power-intensive appliances at once while running your display. Otherwise, you risk overloading your system. A blown fuse or tripped breaker should be taken as a warning.
An Important Part of Holiday Electrical Safety
Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers should be regularly tested and kept in proper working order year-round. Before decorating for the holidays, take a moment to test this equipment or buy any you might lack. Doing so might save your life this holiday.
