Deck the Halls with Christmas Lights
Now that Thanksgiving is over, we can fully get into the Christmas spirit. Why limit the festivities to inside your home. Many people decorate their houses and yards with lights and props. If you don’t want to pull a Clark Griswold, follow these tips and you’ll be putting up your lights like a pro.
Set the Game Plan:
Envision what you want to do and know how many lights you need before you get up on the ladder. Remember to find balance, don’t just decorate up high, and get something closer to the ground as well.
Go the Distance:
Measure the surfaces that you plan to mount your lights to. This way you have an accurate idea of how many strands of lights you’ll need. Also, make sure that you have enough cord to reach the outlet.
Final Preparations:
Take the time to go over your lights while you’re still on the ground. Make sure that you don’t have any burnt out bulbs or exposed wires. Also make sure that all of your strands match. Not all white lights have the same color. LED lights look a tint blue while incandescent look more orange/yellow. You will definitely be able to tell if they don’t match.
Give It Some Juice:
Connecting multiple strands of Christmas lights leads to a lot of power and energy. How many strands that can be strung together depends on which type of light you’re using. If you have LED lights, keep on connecting. You can string together about 25 strands with this type of bulb. But if you’re using incandescent, that number is drastically lower, typically connecting only three to six strands.
No matter what kind of bulbs you’re using, your power should come from a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). This way if there is an overcurrent, the circuit just shuts down.
Our final tip when it comes to powering your Christmas lights is to set up a timer. This tool allows you to determine when your lights go on and also saves energy. You can set your lights to turn on at dusk and turn off at a specific time before you go to bed. Don’t leave your lights on all night.
Get It Up There:
Ditch the nails and staple guns, this year opt for plastic light clips that you can find at any hardware store. There are different clips depending on what your fastening your lights to – gutters, shingles, railings, you name it there’s probably a clip for it.
Safety First:
If you’re putting up your lights and there’s already snow on the ground, make sure that the areas you’re working on are cleared of ice. Pick a good ladder that is sturdy and stable. To keep your feet on the ground as much as possible use a light hanging pole. And remember, teamwork makes the dream work. Get someone to help you with your outdoor decorating project. This way you don’t end up in a tangled mess.
