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8 Tips for Safer Holiday Lighting Displays

8 Tips for Safer Holiday Lighting Displays

Holiday lighting displays can brighten the season, but they also present potential hazards. Keep these safety tips in mind as you decorate your home.

Published: 8/12/2024 3:14:03 PM

Before you brighten the season with holiday lighting displays, keep everyone safe with these tips.

Holiday decorating

Every holiday season, U.S. fire departments respond to an average of 200 home fires that started with lighted trees, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Electrical problems caused one-third of these incidents. Fortunately, these fires are not common, but when they occur they are almost always serious.

To make sure your holiday season remains cheerful, keep the following safety tips in mind while decorating your home:

  1. Use lights that have been tested for safety. Look for "UL" on the tag, which means the lights have been approved by Underwriters Laboratories, a global leader in testing, inspection and certification.

  2. Inspect lights for broken or cracked sockets, frayed wires or loose connections. If you encounter any of these problems, throw them away.

  3. Limit the number of light strands to three per outlet. For added safety, use a power strip with a built-in circuit breaker instead of a wall outlet.

  4. Replace incandescent lights with LEDs. They generate less heat, which makes them a safer choice both indoors and out. LED lights also last much longer and use 75% less electricity — two additional reasons to make the switch.

  5. Use the right lights. For outdoor decorations, use only light strings and extension cords rated for outdoor use.

  6. Be careful with extension cords. Avoid running extension cords in high-traffic areas where people could trip over them. Don't hide extension cords under rugs or beneath furniture, where they could become frayed or overheat.

  7. Turn off lights late at night or when no one is home. Make safety more convenient by plugging decorations into timer controls, which automatically turn lights on and off according to a set schedule.

  8. Plug safely outdoors. Make sure outdoor lights are plugged into a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlet. These are designed to protect against shock by automatically turning off when a change in electrical flow occurs.

Before you brighten up the holidays with indoor and outdoor light displays that everyone will love, keep everyone safe with these tips.

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Contact Info

Clay-Union Electric
P.O. Box 317
31321 SD Hwy. 19
Vermillion, SD 57069

605-624-2673 or 1-800-696-2832

Office Hours: M-F 7:30-4:00
 

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Our Mission is to provide safe, reliable and
affordable electric service to our members,
now and into the future!

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  • Home
  • Your Account
    • Capital Credits
    • Start Service
    • Pay Online/My Account
    • Billing FAQ
      • Billing Cycle and Due Date
      • Budget Billing
      • Payment Options
      • Rates
      • SD Energy Assistance
    • Yard/Street Light Repair
  • About Us/History
    • Nondiscrimination Statement
    • Our History
    • Board Directors and Service Area
    • By-Laws
    • Privacy Policy
  • Member Programs
    • Rebates and Incentives
      • Heat Pump Rebates
      • Irrigation Rebates
      • Marathon Water Heaters
      • Replacement Appliance Rebates
    • Load Control
    • REC Program
    • REED Fund
  • News and Community
    • Basin Bus Tour
    • Clay County Fair/Member Appreciation Day
    • Cooperative "Sparks" Newsletter
    • Energy Solutions
      • Beat the heat this summer
      • Generation Mix
      • Home Safe Home
    • Treated Wood Consumer Information
    • Youth Programs
      • Basin Youth Excursion
      • Scholarship Opportunities
      • Touchstone Energy Scholar of the Week
      • Washington DC Youth Tour
  • Employment Opportunities
    • Crew Foreman
    • Other Cooperative Employment Opportunities
  • Safety
    • 811 Call Before You Dig
    • Back-to-school preparation includes life-saving driving tips
    • Farm Safety
    • Grain Bin Clearance
    • Space Heater Safety
    • Tree Planting
    • Winter Power Line Safety
  • Contact Us