With the holidays quickly approaching, Christmas lighting will be a pop-up fixture in many homes and businesses. These can be great ways to celebrate the season and attract customers to your business. But, being safe with holiday lighting is of the utmost importance. Contrary to popular belief, those beautiful light displays can attract more than crowds of onlookers.
Faulty holiday lighting accounts for over 225 fires every year which results in 6 deaths and over $15 million dollars of property damage. It is estimated that electrical failures or wiring malfunctions either within the outlet or the holiday lights themselves account for more than 65% of holiday lighting-related fires. Before you plug in holiday lights, take a moment to consider these top four electrical wiring, San Luis Obispo home safety tips.
Try an artificial tree.
Having a natural tree, for some families, is a long-time tradition. However, when natural trees dry out, they quickly become fire hazards. If there should be an electrical short or wiring malfunction, a dry Christmas tree can spark a fire in a matter of seconds.
Never use a metal ladder when handling lighting.
Hanging up holiday lighting, especially outdoors can be hazardous. Slipping and falling is common, but because you may be handling live lights, you want to reduce your chance of electrical shock. To be safe, it is always best to inspect the holiday lighting before you plug it in and always install lighting while it is unplugged and not connected to an electrical source. If you need a ladder to install your holiday lights, be sure to use a ladder made of a non-conductive material, like fiberglass or wood.
Keep an eye out for extension cord overload.
Whether you’re going all out with a full holiday lighting display or want to spruce up the outside of your home with a few strings of lights, always check the wattage rating of your extension cords. Make sure that they are for outdoor use, and never use any electrical wiring that may be frayed or damaged. Keep in mind that if you exceed the wattage rating on an extension cord, it can quickly overheat, and may cause a catastrophic fire.
Have an electrical wiring San Luis Obispo checkup.
Holiday lights demand a lot of electricity, especially if they will be kept on for more than 1 hour at a time. If you have not had your electrical system checked in the past year, then now is the time to do it. You want to be sure that your electrical outlets can handle the additional load without putting your loved ones at risk.
Electrical Wiring San Luis Obispo
The experienced San Luis Obispo electrical wiring experts at Electricraft are happy to inspect your electrical components to ensure you are safe to light up your home with holiday decorations. Contact the Electricraft electrical contracting team at 805-544-8224 today.
