Nothing makes your house stand out like a beautiful holiday lights display. It doesn’t matter if you wrap your home up in lights to the point that it can be seen from space or just hang them here and there to brighten things up – you should follow a few rules to make your display not only beautiful, but safe as well.
Make a plan
It might sound like you are approaching light hanging too seriously, but it does help to have a plan, especially if you are arranging a massive display. Simply draw a sketch of your home with the surrounding landscape, mark the power outlets and draw the lights as you envision them. This way, you can estimate how many lights you need and whether you have enough outlets. Plus, you will be able to easily replicate the display next year by following the same drawing.
Not sure where to start? Here are a few ideas on how to enhance your landscape design with a great lights display:
- Decorate the roofline and eaves with “dripping” lights
- Outline the windows and door frames
- Create writing or simple shapes like a star or a wreath on a side or the roof of your home
- Light up the surrounding trees and bushes by wrapping them in light strands
- Line the sides of pathways and driveways
Pick a nice, sunny and calm day
Wind, rain and snow make it dangerous to climb a ladder (which you will be doing a lot of) and deal with electricity. To avoid the risk of slipping, falling or getting shocked wait till the weather is nice. Besides, who wants to freeze in the rain or get frustrated over cords that keep getting moved by the wind gusts?
Only use the lights approved for outdoor use
You can find the tags on the cord or check the box if you are buying new lights. These lights are made to withstand harsh weather conditions and are less prone to damage. You can find lights made for outdoors only or the ones suitable for both uses. Same goes for the extension cords – use the ones designed for outdoors.
Test, test and test again
Nothing is more frustrating than spending hours to hang the lights only to realize that half of the bulbs have to be replaced or one of the sets doesn’t work at all. That’s why it helps to plug the lights in and make any needed repairs in the warmth and comfort of your home. Make sure to go through the entire length of the cord and check if there is any physical damage. If you find exposed wires, don’t use that strand.
Follow the manual
Follow the manual that came with your lights to ensure you don’t overload the circuits. If the manual is not available, make sure you separate the lights into groups to be plugged into different outlets. Typically, no more than 3 strands of 100 lights each should be connected together end to end. Never connect your entire display to one single outlet – this is a recipe for a circuit overload and potentially a fire. A manual also recommend to use hooks or clips to hang your lights – don’t disregard this advice. Using nails, staples, duct tape or other unconventional methods can damage the wiring or pose other risks.
Find a partner
You don’t have to be alone in this. In fact, a helping hand will make it much easier (and possibly faster and safer) for you to get the job done by holding the ladder, untangling the lights, handing you clips or simply keeping up the conversation. If there are no volunteers, enlist your oldest child or a good friend and treat them to some hot cider afterwards.
Do you have your own tips or best practices for hanging outdoor lights? Feel free to share.