During the holiday season, you’ve probably passed a yard or two full of trees simply ablaze with magnificently colorful lights, and maybe you’ve wondered if it would be possible to turn your own yard into such a wonderland. The answer is yes, but there are right and wrong ways to decorate your trees for Christmas. Here are some things to be mindful of.
Things to Do Before Setting Up
Even before you start stringing lights up on your trees, you need to find out how many outlets you have and make sure you don’t overload them. You’ll also need to make sure that your lights have been certified by a laboratory such as UL or ETL. These lights have been tested to make sure that they’re safe.
Inspect all your lights to make sure they are free of cracks, fraying wires, or any damage that can lead to a fire or electric shock. Also, don’t link more of your lights together than the package says is safe.
LED lights are preferable to incandescent lights. Since they are much cooler than incandescent lights, they don’t pose much of a fire hazard. They are also much more energy efficient and have a much longer life span than incandescents. If you are eager to use candles in your decorations, use electric candles.
Decorating Your Trees Safely
While you’re decorating your trees, make sure that you keep everything well away from any power lines. Experts recommend at least 10 feet. Make sure that all your decorations get good air circulation and are away from anything flammable, including fire pits or bonfires.
Don’t use anything metal around your lights. Don’t even use a metal ladder if you need one. Use a ladder made of wood or fiberglass. Don’t use metal fasteners to secure the lights. They are not only a shock hazard, but they can also damage your wires or cords. Buy clips made to secure outdoor lights.
Plug your lights into GFCIs, or ground fault circuit interrupters. These cut down on the risk of shock. If you don’t have any outdoor GFCIs it is easy to buy one or two. Some are even portable.
When your trees are finally decorated, enjoy them, but make sure you unplug them before you go to bed or leave your home.
Contact Us for More Holiday Decorating Information
Our arborists are pleased to serve both commercial and residential customers throughout the Wichita area. We are unrivaled when it comes to our knowledge of trees that grow in our area and our skill in caring for those species. In addition, our overall customer service is unequaled. Besides giving tips on how to decorate your beautiful trees for the holidays, we also perform a full range of services, including trimming, pruning, tree removal, and storm prep and cleanup. Don’t hesitate to call our specialists at My Complete Tree.
