Lightly Wired

Safety Tips About Your Outdoor X’Mas Lights!

It’s that time of the year again when we all have to bring down the artificial tree from the attic or even buy a natural one, while opening up previously stored lights for yet another round of x’mas  tour of duty. So here are a few reminders on handling these lights to get us all safely through this holiday season:

•You should discard these lights after three years or so, even if they still look great. By doing this, you will avoid the frayed or cracked wires and other safety risks that sometimes occur with older light wires.
•Even if your bulbs are new, check the lights carefully and throw them out if the wires are damaged or if they have loose connections or broken sockets.
•If you see any broken or missing lights, replace them all.
•Don’t combine more than three sets of lights together, it’s a fire hazard and puts too much of an electrical load on the wires.
•When you unplug the lights, use the gripping area and don’t pull the cord. That can damage the wire and insulation and you could be in for a rude shock so to speak.
•Make sure you keep the small parts such as bulbs, away from the children. They might choke on them.
•When buying new bulbs, always look for the UL label. These tags should be attached to the cords. UL certifies indoor and outdoor lights. Indoor lights have the green UL tags while outdoor lights will have red marks. If you cannot find these tags, then the product might be counterfeit and a potential fire hazard.
•Don’t use staples or nails when hanging these lights. You can always get hooks with smooth edges so they don’t fray the wires.
•Before going to sleep, do turn off the lights and other electric holiday d ecorations.
•For storage, make sure these lights are in a cool, dry place such as plastic bags. This will prevent them from getting wet or damp.

About the Author

Ashley works in technology at an investment banking firm and has been a member of the rat race for the past 10 years. She enjoys the technology but is exhausted with the office politics, so in an effort to save her sanity, has started looking into internet marketing, and setting up an eclectic collection of sites such as providing info on wireless security camera system to tips on where to find great selection and pricing in tiffany lamps.

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