The holidays are an amazing time of year and there is no better time to decorate your home with Christmas lights, but there is a whole lot of thought that goes into them. We have to be careful to make sure that we are purchasing high quality lights with low energy use, even though it is often hard to do. We are going to share some tips on how to install Christmas lights. Discuss the dangers of Christmas lights and go over how to install them safely.

Can Christmas lights start a fire?

The short answer is yes, Christmas lights can start a fire. According to the National Fire Protection Association, nearly one in five Christmas tree fires start with decorative lights.

Decorating your house with Christmas lights is a fun and festive way to ensure that your home looks great during the holiday season. However, what you may not know is that Christmas lights can be a fire hazard. If you don’t take the time to properly install your lights, you could end up with a Christmas disaster on your hands. To avoid this, make sure you know the safety precautions for your lights and follow them closely. This will help you avoid a fire caused by the Christmas lights.

This season when installing your lights, avoid using extension cords, or at the very least, use a UL-certified extension cord. UL-certified extension cords mark with the UL rating that is on the plug and cord. Never use a Christmas light extension cord with a plug that does not rate to handle the amperage. Keep your Christmas lights off the ground, away from water, and away from any combustible materials. Never install Christmas lights in a poorly ventilated area. Keep your Christmas lights away from direct heat sources, such as a fireplace. Avoid installing Christmas lights near anything that could burn, such as a fireplace or heater.

What are the most common mistakes people make when installing Christmas lights?

Christmas lights are an essential part of any holiday decorating. However, the process can be challenging. There are many things that can go wrong, and that is why it is important to take precautions. One of the most common mistakes that people make when installing Christmas lights is to not have them on a timer. Installing lights using a timer will ensure that the lights go off at the time that you want them to. Without a timer, the lights will stay on for hours and could lead to a fire.

Other common mistakes that people make when installing Christmas lights are over-wiring and not using ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI). Over-wiring is when you use too many strands of lights on one outlet/circuit breaker. This can lead to overloading circuits and possibly a fire. Standard household electrical outlets are on circuits that rated for at least 15 amps of electrical current. Newer homes also have a lot of 20-amp circuits, including the outlets in the garage and outdoors. Lighting circuits (which often include outlets) typically are 15-amp. The amp rating tells you how many lights and other devices the circuit can handle without tripping its circuit breaker.

The rule of thumb is not to load a circuit over 80 percent, meaning a 20-amp circuit can safely handle 16 amps, and a 15-amp circuit can safely handle 12 amps. By adding up the amperage draw of your lights you’ll know how many you can put on a single circuit. Installers should always add or use an outlet equipped with A GFCI. A GFCI senses the slightest difference in the amount of electricity between what enters a circuit and what leaves the circuit. A small variation, as little as 5 milliamps, will cause the circuit to trip or shut down within 1/10^th of a second. This prevents people from getting electrocuted and the potential for fires.

What type of Christmas lights are safe to use?

Traditional Christmas light bulbs are called incandescent lights and these lights utilize a lot of power and in turn generate a lot of heat. This poses a serious risk for fire, so lights no longer recommended for home owners. Instead LED Christmas lights that are labeled “UL Approved”, The UL Listed seal means that the product has been tested by Underwriters Laboratories to nationally recognized safety and sustainability standards. Additionally, it has been found to be free from a reasonably foreseeable risk of fire and electric shock. LED Christmas lights use less energy, and as a result, they are safer to use.

Be sure to determine the use case for your lights. If the lights are going to be used outdoors, only consider buying outdoor rated and approved lights. If the lights will be used indoors, be sure to purchase indoor lights.

How to install Christmas lights safely

There’s no doubt that Christmas lights bring Christmas cheer, but when you’re on a tight budget, the last thing that you want is a house on fire. Christmas lights are easy and inexpensive to install, but you need to take your time and be careful. You should never use the same circuit for lights and appliances. If you don’t follow these rules, you could end up with a fire or a short circuit. Additionally, you should always keep a bucket of water or an extinguisher nearby to douse any fires that do break out. 

Follow these additional steps to properly install your Christmas lights:

1. Pre-check and plug in all of your lights prior to installing them. Ensure there are no cuts or damage to the wires and replace or repair as needed.
2. Connect your outside lights to a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupting (GFCI) outlet. That way if there is a short or an overload on your lights, the GFCI outlet will trip before the breaker in your house. This serves as an added layer of protection against fires as well as coming in handy if your outside lights are on the same circuit as, say, the hall light inside your home.
3. Limit the length of your light strands, the circuits in your home may handle 15 to 20 amps, but remember that you might have more things plugged in than just your holiday lights.
4. Utilize proper fasteners for your lights. Keeping your lights secured and in there intended location will prevent them from coming into contact with items that may cause damage or fire.
5. Turn lights off when away and during daylight hours. 
6. If you have a real tree and it is lit utilizing string lights, keep it well watered.

Christmas lights are a great addition to any home. They can be a fun way to add a festive feeling to your home. Just because they seem easy to install, you still need to take caution and make sure you’re not compromising your electrical system. Please don’t hesitate to contact us anytime with any questions or concerns about Christmas lights. We here at Blitzen Lighting would love to hear from you to take any worry out of your holiday season!