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Decorating the home for the holidays is something many Michigan families take great joy in. Hanging up holiday lights and putting out decorations is an easy way to get everyone into the spirit of the season. The concern is that holiday lighting can also pose various safety risks, such as a fire or an electrocution. The additional electricity required to power all of the lighting and decorations can also put added strain on your finances. By following these basic holiday lighting tips, you can enjoy safe, energy-efficient lighting throughout the holiday season.
Be Careful Not To Overload Circuits
One thing you never want to do is power too many things off of one circuit. The breaker should trip immediately if you overload a circuit, but there’s no guarantee that all of your circuit breakers work as they should. Circuit breakers can wear out or fail. Rust and corrosion can also prevent a breaker from tripping as it should.
The main concern when you overload a circuit is that it causes the wiring to get much hotter. This can lead to outlets smoking, starting to melt and potentially catching on fire. If the insulation that separates the live and neutral wires melts, the wires can touch and start sending off sparks.
Ensuring that you don’t risk your holiday lighting overloading a circuit is fairly easy. The first step is making sure that you know which circuit the outlets you’re plugging the lights into are on. You then want to check the breaker in your electrical panel to determine whether the circuit is 15 amps or 20 amps. To avoid overloads caused by power fluctuations, you should never exceed 80% of a circuit’s maximum capacity. That means never drawing more than 1,440 watts from a 15-amp circuit and no more than 1,920 watts from a 20-amp circuit.
Once you’ve determined how many watts you can safely draw from that circuit, all you need to do is add up the wattage of all of the lights and decorations you want to plug into it. All lights and decorations should have a label that tells you how many watts they use. The only thing to note is that you also have to account for the wattage of the lighting and whatever else is plugged into that circuit.
Inspect Lights and Decorations Before Using Them
When getting ready to put out all of your lights and decorations, you should make sure to perform a thorough inspection before plugging them in. If the insulation or sheathing surrounding any wiring is cracked or missing to where you can see the individual wires, you should throw the light string or decoration away. Bare wiring has the potential to start a fire or cause someone to get shocked or electrocuted. You also want to make sure that the prongs on the plug aren’t bent and that the plug fits securely into the outlet you’re using. Loose plugs and outlets pose a fire risk, as they can lead to the electrical current arcing and producing sparks.
Replace Old Lights With LEDs
Replacing any incandescent lights with new LEDs can both save on energy costs and lessen the risk of fires. LEDs will greatly reduce the amount of energy your lights and decorations use. Even if you are the type to go all out with your holiday decorations and have to buy a large number of LED light strings, they’ll pay for themselves in a short time.
Even when LED lights are left on for hours, they stay almost completely cool. Incandescent lights, on the other hand, can get quite hot. This is especially true for the light strings with larger bulbs that many people use outside. Using strings of incandescent lights on a real Christmas tree is a major concern and the main reason why so many trees catch fire every year.
By upgrading to LEDs, you’ll also greatly reduce the chances of your lighting overloading a circuit. Depending on the size of the LEDs and the length of each light string, you can often power more than 100 strings from the same circuit with no issues.
Don’t Daisy-Chain Too Many Light Strings Together
To reduce the risk of electrical overloads and fire hazards, it’s best to avoid daisy-chaining holiday light strings altogether. Plugging multiple strands into one another increases the chances of overheating, damaged wiring, and potential electrical fires—regardless of whether you’re using LED or incandescent lights. Instead, each light string should be plugged directly into its own outlet or a properly rated extension cord connected to a single outlet. While LEDs draw less power than incandescent lights, daisy-chaining still places unnecessary stress on the wiring. Eliminating daisy-chaining entirely is the safest way to protect your home and ensure your lighting display stays both bright and secure.
Make Sure Lights and Cords Are Rated for Outdoor Use
Many holiday lights and extension cords are rated for both indoor and outdoor use, but some are designed for indoor use only. Products designed for outdoor use are much more robust, allowing them to withstand damage and stand up against harsh conditions. Products rated for indoor use only usually aren’t fully waterproof. If moisture comes into contact with wiring, it can allow electricity to escape and flow unrestricted into a different path, such as a nearby metal object. This results in the metal getting energized. If anyone were to touch the metal, they’d then get seriously shocked or even electrocuted.
Always Use GFCI Protection for Outdoor Lighting
The issue we just mentioned of electricity escaping and flowing into an unintended path is known as a ground fault. Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) outlets and cords are specifically designed to eliminate the risk of shock and electrocution from ground faults. A GFCI is essentially a type of internal breaker that will almost instantly trip and stop power from flowing if a ground fault occurs. The way it works is that the GFCI monitors the voltage of the current flowing through both the live wire and neutral wire. Under normal circumstances, the two voltages are always equal. A ground fault leads to a drop in voltage in the live wire as a result of some of the current escaping instead of all of it flowing back out through the neutral wire.
It’s easy to tell GFCIs apart from standard outlets, as they have a TEST and a RESET button in the center. If you have any outdoor outlets that aren’t GFCIs, we recommend replacing them before the holidays. The other option is to plug your lights into a GFCI extension cord. The only issue is that GFCI cords are often more sensitive and prone to tripping when no hazard exists. Whether you’re using GFCI outlets or cords, you should make sure to test them monthly to make sure the breaker mechanism still works.
Work With a Trusted Electrical Company
If you’re searching for reliable electrical services in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Grand Lodge or any of the surrounding areas in Western and Southwestern Michigan, Service Professor is the company to trust. We’ve been providing expert home services for over 45 years, and electrical safety is at the heart of everything we do. From lighting installation and outlet replacement to electrical repairs and inspections, we have you covered.
To schedule service and get help ensuring your holiday lighting is safe, contact Service Professor today.
