Christmas Lights Health & Safety Tips

The festive season is well and truly upon us now, with just 15 days to go until December 25th… so, no doubt, you’re all putting up your decorations and twinkly Christmas lights right now, if you haven’t done so already.

There’s no denying that this time of year is magical, but it’s essential that you prioritise health and safety over the next few weeks, as well, particularly if you’ve put up lots of lights around the house, as they can become electrically unsafe if you’re not careful.

If you’ve bought new lights, make sure that you read the instructions properly and follow them to the letter when hanging them up at home. 

If you’ve taken old lights down from the attic and plan to reuse them again, check for loose wires and any damage that may have occurred over the last 12 months, replacing any broken bulbs with those of the same type and rating. 

If you continue to use lights with broken bulbs, it’s possible that the products will overheat, which can significantly increase the risk of a fire breaking out.

It’s also vital that you prioritise safety at night when going to bed. Of course, the lights do look lovely once the sun’s gone down and they really help add to that Christmassy feel, but don’t leave them turned on when everyone’s asleep, or if you’re going out.

Another way to increase the risk of fire is to overload your sockets. Try to avoid using extension leads where possible and keep an eye on the sockets, looking out for scorch marks and any burning smells.

One of the best ways to protect you and your family is to use LED lights instead of those with filament bulbs. LEDs use a lot less power and don’t generate much heat, so you can reduce the risk of fire and burns, and you can also reduce the chances of electric shocks because they only need very low voltage to operate.

Now’s also the perfect time to test your smoke and fire alarms. Ideally, you would be testing these alarms at least once a month to ensure they’re working properly, but always make sure that you run a test at this time of year to be on the safe side.

If your alarm is beeping regularly, it’s a sign that you need to replace the battery. Never disconnect it or take the batteries out if it goes off by mistake and if you have a ten-year alarm, make sure that you replace it within good time to protect your home.

It can also be useful to have other fire safety equipment on site just in case, including fire blankets and extinguishers, so you’re fully prepared if a fire does break out.

If you’d like any further electrical safety advice at this time of year or, indeed, any other time, get in touch with the Volt East team today.