Christmas Light Safety Guide: 16 Tips to Avoid a Decorations Disaster (2024)

FAQs

Christmas Light Safety Guide: 16 Tips to Avoid a Decorations Disaster? ›

DON'T USE NAILS OR TACKS TO SECURE LIGHTS

Sharp objects like nails or tacks can damage the wiring and become a fire hazard. Instead, use light hooks that can be secured to your roof without damaging the lights. In addition, you won't be putting holes in your shingles or siding.

DON'T USE NAILS OR TACKS TO SECURE LIGHTS

Sharp objects like nails or tacks can damage the wiring and become a fire hazard. Instead, use light hooks that can be secured to your roof without damaging the lights. In addition, you won't be putting holes in your shingles or siding.

Many of these injuries are a result of damage incurred while hanging up lights, including falls, lacerations, electrocutions, and fires. These certainly aren't the jolliest experiences you can have.

When to Turn Off the Lights. If Christmas lights are left on for too long, they can get hot and become a fire hazard. For this reason, turn your lights off when you go to sleep or leave your home, says Sharon Cooksey, fire safety educator at Kidde.

Electrical Safety First recommends the use of LED over traditional filament Christmas lighting because: They operate at extra-low voltage which significantly reduces the risk of electric shock. They use much less power, generating little heat and so reducing the risk of fire and burns. This makes them safer to use.

Always plug your lights into an outdoor rated surge protector - especially if you are using LED lights in any part of your Christmas lights display. Surges on the line are your LED light string's nemesis. If you live near hydroelectric or geothermal power generation, you may have more to worry about.

Safety. LED Christmas lights do not produce as much heat as incandescent light bulbs do. Not only are they cool to the touch, but they are also less likely to cause a fire, whether you're using them on your bushes or around the outline of your roof. These safety features make LED lights that much more enticing.

“Make sure where everything plugs in is dry and not exposed to the elements because the electricity still goes through the equipment and the light portion, what goes outside is what's important.” He said Christmas lights are meant to be used outside, they will be fine in rainy conditions.

How many injuries from hanging Christmas lights? ›

Every year, around 18,400 people visit emergency rooms because of accidents with Christmas decorations. The peak day for these mishaps is usually the Sunday after Thanksgiving, when an annual average of 660 people seek medical attention for their injuries.

Myth 5: Christmas Tree Lights Cause House Fires

Christmas lights alone aren't a fire hazard by themselves. However, holiday goers should still avoid overloading extension cords and electrical sockets with strands upon strands of lights in case of a short circuit.

Do not leave holiday lights on unattended. Use only nonflammable decorations or flame-retardant ones. Decorations should always be placed or hung away from any heat source. Make sure that your tree or any of your decorations do not block an exit way.

The risk may be low, but it's still there. It may seem low risk, but it's always better to turn off your Christmas lights before you go to bed at night. "We recommend unplugging your tree before you got to sleep or leave the house," shares Jen Wilbert, AVP of Property at Travelers Insurance.

Safety Advantages of LED Christmas Lights

First of all, they consume around 80% less electricity, which translates into power bill savings during the Holiday season. LED lights are also less likely to start a fire due to their reduced heat output, and their lower current reduces the chance of wire overheating.