Q: We’ll be stringing up holiday lights in the next few weeks, what do we need to know?
A: Ahh, tis the season. I have a few simple recommendations for lighting safety, both for the installer and for your home.
Prepare for the installation by laying everything out, making sure things work, and having a plan. If your lights will hang from gutters, use this as an opportunity to clean them first. Then, don’t string all the lights together in one continuous strand. This is a fire hazard. Run lights back to extension cords that plug into multiple outlets. This decreases fire risk.
Falls are a risk during lighting installation. Keep your body weight between the sides of the ladder, and move the ladder as needed. Stay on the ladder if possible, as standing on the roof and leaning “down-hill” to install lights is risky.
