When you put up Christmas lights this season - or holiday lights
during any season - be sure to follow these Christmas light safety tips.
· Choose Christmas lights
that have been tested and deemed safe by a reputable testing laboratory, the
best are UL or ETL. Christmas lights listed as safe by these laboratories will
note that on the packaging.
·
Try to use the
cooler-burning "mini" Christmas lights as opposed to the traditional
larger bulbs. The older style burns much hotter.
·
Only use Christmas lights
that have fuses in the plugs.
·
Inspect each set of
Christmas lights - old or new - for damage. Return or throw out any set with
cracked or broken sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections.
·
Replace burned out bulbs
promptly with bulbs of the same wattage.
·
Never hang Christmas
lights on a metal tree. The tree can become charged with electricity and shock
someone. The tree can also short out the Christmas lights and cause a fire.
·
Want Christmas lights
outdoors? Use outdoor Christmas lights. The packaging will note whether the
lights can be used indoors, outdoors, or both.
·
All outdoor electrical decorations
should be plugged into a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). You can buy
portable units for outdoor use, or you can have them permanently installed by
an electrician.
·
Use extension cords
properly. Outdoor cords can be used inside or outside. Do not overload
extension cords - they can get hot enough to burn.
·
Stay away from powerlines
or feeder lines (these go from the pole to the house).
·
Secure outside Christmas
lights with insulated holders (never use tacks or nails) or run strings of
lights through hooks.
·
When you leave or go to
bed at night, turn off your Christmas lights.
·
Never pull on a string of
Christmas lights, it stresses the cords and can lead to fraying. Store
Christmas lights loosely wrapped for the same reason.
