Tips for installing Christmas lights
BERLIN, Md. – It’s fair to say most people start decorating for the holidays after Thanksgiving. So 47 ABC decided to talk to the professionals about the do’s and dont’s of putting up Christmas lights.
“Roof lighting is number one. Roof line then trees and bushes. People do pillars,” says Rob Anderson, owner of Delmarva Christmas Lights.
When decorating your home for the holidays this year, experts with Delmarva Christmas Lights say LED lights are the way to go. “Using LED lights makes everything a lot simpler for you. It’s a lot less as far as your overall electrical usage,” says Anderson.
Not only will your wallet thank you but installing a lot of LED lights at once is easier than installing other types. “With incandescent the rule is usually three, three strands of lights. With LEDs we’re able to run 50 to 100 in a row in one area,” says Anderson.
Of course safety is a big concern when plugging a lot of decorations in. “We’ve all seen the videos of lights on Christmas trees when they get near the end of the season they’re all dried out and to doesn’t take much to set those things ablaze,” says Anderson.
Luckily, there are simple way to avoid common safety hazards. “You want to make sure all your connections are nice and tight. That’s something especially when you start running multiple lines, making sure they are fully plugged in to themselves. If there’s any exposed wire that can be an issue,” says Anderson.
Spotlights can also be an area of concern because of how hot they get. “Making sure that any uplighting or big spotlights, those are sufficiently spaced away three to four feet at a minimum away from anything else that’s flammable or meltable,” says Anderson.
If you do want to use a ladder to install lights along your roof, experts recommend strong equipment and having someone spot you. “Get a good stabilizer. I know the big box stores sell certain brands. We particularly like a brand called the Ladder Max that actually pushes you up of the surface,” says Anderson.
Experts with Delmarva Christmas Lights also recommend tying down any larger decorations like inflatables so they don’t blow away. Also, before you put lights on your roof let the frost on your roof evaporate so you don’t slip and fall.
When it comes to taking Christmas lights down, the best thing to do is roll it up in a ball, starting with the female end. That makes it easier to store and easier to put it up next year.
