Electrical hazards are spooky! This Halloween season, make sure that your decorations display is safe! Follow these Electrical Plus-approved safety tips to ensure protection for your family, guests, and trick-or-treaters. Always plan ahead for your display, purchase safety-ensured decorations, inspect old decorations and set them up correctly, and always power off after use. Read on to learn more about keeping your holiday lighting display safe this Halloween season!
Always Plan Ahead
Before setting up your eye-catching display, plan ahead to ensure proper safety. Take count of how many electrical outlets are available for use in your desired location. This will allow for safe distribution of use amongst power sources and prevent long cords from stretching across the floor or yard. These are two hazards that can easily be avoided by adequate planning. When doing your holiday decoration shopping, always read the labels. Make sure that your purchased decorations are safe for outdoor use. Even cords rated for outdoor use should not be left sitting in water for extended periods of time.
When taking out your past decorations from storage, always inspect for frayed or damaged cords before plugging them in. Any damaged sockets, bare wires, or loose connections could cause shocks or start a fire. Electrical hazards can be easily avoided by planning and inspecting decorations before use.
Proper Set Up
When setting up your Halloween decorations, ensure that electrical cords are out of high-traffic areas. Avoid running extension cords across walkways. If you must have an extension cord across a walkway, tape the cords down to keep them secure and reduce tripping hazards. This will ensure no costumes get snagged on extension cords!
Always fasten outdoor lights securely to minimize wind damage. Fasten your decorations to trees, the house, or other nearby supporting objects with weather-proof electrical tape. Never staple or nail through electrical cords to hang decorations in place. Also, remember never to attach cords or lights to metal objects.
For indoor displays, ensure no cords are stretching across a room where people or pets could trip or become entangled. Instead of using an open flame in your Jack-O-Lantern, consider using battery-operated candles or LED lights! This is a safer alternative to candles in high-traffic or unattended areas.
Electrical Safety
When plugging in multiple appliances to make your Halloween display stand out, make sure that all cords are plugged into proper locations with the correct voltage. Do not overload electrical outlets. All outdoor cords should be plugged into outlets equipped with ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) to protect from electrical shocks. When using extension cords, read the label on both the cord and the appliance that you are plugging in. This is to ensure that the extension cord can handle the electrical load. If it cannot tolerate the load, use a higher-rated cord or unplug other cords that are not in use. Your extension cord should be the correct amps for the device you are plugging it into. Always use extension cords for temporary use, not permanent use. Our team at Electrical Plus can provide safety inspections and GFCI installation.
Power Off After Use
Lastly, always remember to unplug your lights and decorations before going to bed or leaving your home. Like other electrical appliances in your home, it is not safe or necessary to leave your decorations plugged in when you are asleep or not there. Electrical decorations should only be used when someone is home to monitor them.
Enjoy The Holiday!
Enjoy the fun of this holiday season while staying safe from electrical mishaps. From our team at Electrical Plus, we hope that you have a safe and enjoyable Halloween with family and friends.
If you need assistance with setting up your holiday display or need an electrical safety inspection, give us a call. Never hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns about your electrical safety. It is our job to ensure proper safety measures are taken into consideration. For residential and commercial electrical needs, give us a call at Electrical Plus. Discover our list of services here.