We are just a few days away until the outdoor Christmas lights come on. If you’re like us, you can’t wait to see the festive lighting on both the residential and commercial properties in your area. Unfortunately, installing outdoor holiday lights isn’t always a fun or safe project. If you’re installing lights at your home this holiday season, here are some tips to keep you and your property safe and bright.
Check your products. It’s a terrible feeling after hours of work to flip the switch to your lights and find that half of your bulbs are out. Or, worse yet, there’s a failure in the line due to weather. Before taking your lights outside, check each bulb to make sure it works and ensure that all your products are safe for outdoor installation. Outdoor products can be used inside, but it doesn’t go the other way. You want to make sure that your holiday decor can withstand the weather.
Start with the small projects. Installing holiday lights personally can take a few days. If you’re anxious to turn on your lights when the sun goes down, start with the projects that are smaller. For example, hang your lighted garland and light your front porch first. It doesn’t take as long as roof line lighting for instance, but still looks great on its own. If you are doing some roof line lighting, start earlier in the day so you can complete the project at once.
Never use nails. Nails are not your friend when it comes to outdoor lighting installation. They take unnecessary time and can cause damage to your home, especially with roof line lighting. Instead, purchase Christmas light clips. They hold the light in place using the weight of your roof shingles and they are MUCH easier to install than nailing lights in place!
Ask for help. Not all components of holiday lighting installation should be tackled on your own. If it requires your feet to leave the ground, play it safe and ask for help. Ladders can be unsteady with an uneven ground and result in too many season injuries. Have a spotter hold the ladder in place and hand you any materials as you need them.
Have a very Happy Thanksgiving this week and be safe while installing your holiday lights this weekend!