By Joe Hadsall
jhadsall@joplinglobe.com
One of the heartwarming sights of the holiday season is the illumination of Christmas lights in yards and windows across the country.
But some of those twinkling, glittery displays, which might warm the hearts of power company executives, fill some electricians with dread. Beyond the bright lights, jerky animation and noisy inflatables, they see the badly installed wires and dangerous connections used.
“There are people that do Christmas lighting for a living,” said Justin Weston,
an electrician with Ed’s Electric in Joplin. “They do extensive jobs that take a lot of preparation.”
Those who want to tackle lighting up their houses for the holidays should follow some basic safety advice, in order to keep from lighting up themselves.
Power
Boxes of lights usually have an indication of how many can be strung together. Those indications should be followed to the letter — or, in this case, the number — Weston said.
“A lot of the small packages of lights have low-gauge wire,” Weston said. “It doesn’t hold the needed amperage.”
But many try to connect too many strings at once, Weston said. His office receives a fair amount of calls about how many can be strung.
The amount of strings leads people to another danger: Using too many extension cords. The result is that lights become an unnecessary risk for electrocution or fire.
The solution is to invest in longer rolls of lights that are manufactured with the properly sized wire, Weston said. Decorators should also invest in LED lights, which use much less power than their incandescent counterpart.
“LED lights last longer and don’t take near the power,” he said. “We’re actually seeing LED lights coming out in the lighting industry for residential and commercial projects.”
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends getting only lights that have been tested for safety by the UL or ETL, and that have plugs containing fuses. Any extension cords that get used should be rated for the intended use.
Weston can’t forgive extension cords, however. They are a no-no, he said, because they can get wet, damaged or overloaded.
“It’s a wise idea not to use them,” Weston said. “A lot of fires get started with them. An extension cord is easy to damage.”
He recommend plugging lights only into circuits protected by ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs). The CPSC said that portable outdoor GFCIs can be purchased from electrical supply stores.
However, those who enjoy putting lights up every year should consider having GFCIs professionally installed in the soffeting of their house, Weston said.
“One builder I know puts them on all of his houses,” Weston said. “They are so easy to plug into, there’s nothing down low and no need for an extension cord. That’s the best way to do it.”
Fasteners
Once power sources are prepared, decorators must still take care to attach lights safely to a home. But most fasteners people use are made of metal, which isn’t exactly the best thing to combine with electricity.
The best option is a plastic-sleeved hook that can be screwed directly into the soffeting, said Bill Steele, an employee at Pearl Brothers True Value Hardware.
“They are coated with plastic and screw right into the wood,” Steele said. “Then you can lay the line directly into those.”
Some use staple guns or nails, he said. Neither is a good option unless a special staple gun is used — made explicitly for putting up lights, this staple gun has a guard that keeps the wire firmly between the posts of the staple, and dispenses plastic-coated staples.
Nails are not a good option, Steele said.
And, last we checked, roofs are pretty high off the ground. Steele said no good can come from teetering on a stepstool outside — get an extension ladder and place it directly against the house.
“You need a ladder where you don’t have to reach away from the ladder to get to where the lights will go,” Steele said. “Normally you can use an extension ladder, but you can also lean a stepladder against the house.”
Also, because most ladders are made of metal, make sure lights have no power getting to them before installation.
Other tips
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission also recommended the following advice for putting up lights outside:
n Check each string of lights for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires or loose connections. Don’t bother repairing them.
n Check labels to ensure the lights are intended for outdoor use.
n Stay away from power or feeder lines leading from utility poles to older homes.
n Turn off all holiday lights at bedtime or when not at home.
