Safety Tips For Christmas Lights At Home
Poorly installed Christmas lights pose a fire risk which can be easily avoided. Here are our tips for the safe installation and management of your Christmas lights this festive season...
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.- Choose only Christmas lights that have been tested and deemed safe by a reputable testing laboratory. This will be noted on the packaging when you buy them.
- Only use Christmas lights that have fuses in the plugs.
- Do not overload extension leads and adapters.
- Only ever hang lights outdoors that are deemed suitable for outdoor use on their packaging.
- 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.
- Secure outside Christmas lights with insulated holders (never use tacks or nails) or run strings of lights through hooks.
- 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.
- Replace bulbs promptly and with the correct type and voltage.
- 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.
- Never leave lights turned on while unattended. Always turn off the lights before you leave the house and when going to bed.
If you have any questions about electrical safety in your home or would like a
qualified electrician to have a look at something in your home, give us a call on
091 700919 or drop us an email to sally@martinon.ie