4 Steps to Safely Hanging ( and Removing ) Your Holiday Lights

This holiday season you may want to hang some festive holiday lights on your home You may already have! . Lights really take your holiday decorating to the next level! However, they can also be a safety hazard for a few reasons. Follow our simple step-by-step guide to ensure you are protecting yourself, your family, and your home.

1. Plan your design. There are so many options when it comes to hanging your lights. By planning ahead you can minimize the time spent on the ladder and your roof. Here are some ideas for where to hang your lights:

• Along your roof/ eavestroughs
• Wrap around posts and pillars
• Along your planters and window boxes
• In trees and bushes
• Other architectural features

It is also a good idea to measure the length of the strands you will need, don’t forget to measure to the outlet. No point in hanging nice lights if you can’t turn them on!

2. Choose your lights. there are so many types of lights to choose from! They vary in size, color, shape, lighting pattern, and light type. Most people who want to save energy and electricity bills will opt for LED’s as they use less power. They also run a bit cooler and therefore might be considered a bit safer. Do your research on which kind of lights you want to have in your design. It is really important to make sure that whichever lights you do choose are rated for outdoor use.

3. Test your lights. Before you hang your lights, make sure to test each strand. CHeck over the wiring for any frayed or exposed wire. This can be a huge safety hazard so make sure to discard of any damaged strands properly. It is also a good idea to check your extension cable (should be rated for outdoor use)  and the outlet you plan to use. Make sure it is a GFCI outlet so that instead of overloading and catching fire, it will shut off. Be careful not to overload the outlets. It is a good idea to not have more than 300 lights on a single outlet.

4. Hanging Safely. Once you have planned your design and tested your lights you are ready to hang. It is a good idea to avoid hanging lights by yourself. Have someone there to spot you, hold the ladder, or assist you if needed. Make sure to use a sturdy ladder planted firmly in the ground. Never step on the top of the ladder, and always hold on with at least one hand if you can. Before standing on your roof, make sure there are no rotten spots or loose shingles. There are universal light clips you can use to attach the strands to either your gutter or shingles.

It might also help to have an outdoor timer attached to your lights so that you can time them for dusk, and not have them running all night. This will also save you time and money on your electricity bill!

Last but not least, it should go without saying that you should take all necessary steps to fireproof your home in the event that something does go awry. Georgian Insulation offers a fireproofing service. Having your home properly insulated will also help to reduce energy costs so you can feel free to run those lights a bit longer each night!

Happy Holidays!!

Georgian Insulation is based in Oro Medonte. We cover all regions around Barrie, Orillia, Collingwood, Bradford, Alliston, Midland, Gravenhust, Simcoe County, Muskoka, Haliburton, Dufferin, North York, Grey and Bruce. Central Ontario's premium spray foam insulation contractor. We're recommended by leading custom home builders, commercial design/builders, architects, home inspectors and our many customers. We provide Polyurethane Spray foam, Cellulose, Fibreglas, Roxull, Fireproofing, Insulation Removal, concrete slab lifting with injected polyurethane and epoxy crack filling.

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