The holidays are many people’s favorite time of year, especially Christmas time. Everyone is generally in a good mood and feeling generous, excitement fills the air as the season of giving is upon us, and the night is lit by bright colors and decorations. However, amidst these bright colors and decorations lie electrical hazards that you should be aware of.
Delta Electrical in Jackson is your local electrician of choice for residential and commercial electrical services. For over 20 years, we’ve been helping you with your electrical wiring, circuit panels, and bathroom and kitchen renovations. It’s always best to call in a professional electrician when installing or repairing electrical wiring due to the inherent risk of electricity. Below, we’ll go over some electrical safety tips for Christmas. Contact us today to get started!
ELECTRICAL SAFETY TIPS FOR CHRISTMAS
Don’t Overload Your Electrical Outlets
It can be very tempting to plug in string after string of electrical lights into one outlet. In fact, Christmas lights encourage this by having multiple plugins throughout their strands. However, Delta Electrical in Jackson notes that this is a very dangerous thing to do, especially when combined with extension cords. If you overload your outlets, you run the risk of overloading your electrical circuits, which can trip your circuit or blow a fuse. Worse, wires can get hot and overheat, which is a common cause of electrical fires in the home. Instead, we recommend that you spread your lights out to different outlets, and you only use power strips that are newer with no visible damage.
Don’t Pretend Christmas Lasts for Months
It’s become increasingly popular for people to leave their Christmas lights on their home for months after the holiday season, or even for the entire year. This is mainly due to the fact that taking down and putting up Christmas lights can be a chore. However, Christmas lights were not designed to be permanent outdoor lighting like your other outdoor lighting. This means that they can sustain damage more easily when hung out in the elements for great lengths of time. They can cause short circuits or even a fire. Delta Electrical in Jackson recommends that you take your Christmas lights down shortly after the holiday season and store them properly until next year.
Don’t Leave Your Christmas Lights On All Day Long
Not only are you wasting money on your electrical bill when you leave your Christmas lights on all day long (and no one can see them by the way), but you are increasing your risk of an electrical fire. The light bulbs themselves can get hot, and the longer they are on, the hotter they can get. Delta Electrical in Jackson recommends that you only have your Christmas lights on when you are awake and when you are at home. You also never want to leave your Christmas tree lights on while you are sleeping because if a fire does break out, you won’t know it.
Don’t Use Damaged Extension Cords
Any exposed wiring of any kind is an electrical hazard. In fact, the whole purpose of the plastic coating around your wires is to diminish the likelihood of a fire (plastic dissipates the heat that builds up from the electrical current) and to ensure you are not shocked from touching the wires themselves. When the wires are exposed, they can come into contact with flammable materials, such as your carpeting and, in this instance, your Christmas tree or roof shingles, and start a fire. Delta Electrical in Jackson recommends that you inspect your extension cords every year before using them.
CHOOSING DELTA ELECTRICAL IN JACKSON FOR YOUR ELECTRICAL SERVICES
Delta Electrical loves to drive around Jackson and see all of the beautiful Christmas light displays. It’s amazing to see the creativity people put into lighting up nativity scenes, reindeer, snowmen, and their homes. However, our wish is to ensure you and your family are safe from electrical hazards during the holiday season.
Delta Electrical offers residential, commercial, and industrial electrical services. Our certified electricians can diagnose and repair most electrical problems, from a blown circuit panel in your home to a new construction bathroom electrical installation. We operate with fairness, honesty, integrity, and professionalism in all of our electrical services. Call today for a free estimate!