Safe Christmas light set up tips

The Christmas light extravaganza is spreading to suburbs all over the city of Brisbane. Individual homes and whole neighbourhoods compete for the best light show in town. 20 years ago most households were lucky to have one string of lights which went once, maybe twice, around the tree, these days due to the inexpensive lights it's not unusual to find homes, businesses and community centres lit up in an explosion of colour, movement and Christmas cheer throughout December. Santa's, reindeer's, nativity scene's, Mrs Claus, Christmas tree's, trains and more flashing lights than a Disney on ice show adorn every inch of space on some Brisbane homes.

Stay safe this Christmas

Just like any major show many hours of preparation and planning go into creating these amazing displays of light. Keep your family and home safe this Christmas by taking the right precautions to ensure your festive lighting spectacular is electrically safe as well as show stopping.

• Don't overload power points - avoid using double adaptors and definitely don't piggyback adaptors, this can cause overheating and overload the socket. Use a power-board with overload protection.
• Check lights for wear and tear - ensure last year's lights are undamaged from use or storage. Any cords with worn or broken insulation or connections should be discarded or repaired by a licenced electrician.
• Always buy approved Christmas lights - purchase your lights from trusted retailers and check that they meet Australian safety standards. Approved products will carry an approval number or the regulatory compliance mark logo (see below). Be especially cautious when buying lights from overseas off the internet.
• Test safety switch and smoke alarms - test your safety switch and smoke alarms beforesetting up lights. Find out how to test the safety switch.
• Only use lights where they were intended to be used - indoor lights - indoors. These lights are not suitable for use outside, even on the verandah or porch as they are not fitted with the appropriate weather proofing.
• Secure lights correctly - outdoor lights need to be secured well to avoid movement during windy conditions or storms. Turn off lights during storms or high winds for safety.
• Keep away from water - keep lights and connections out of water or damp area's
• Turn off - turn off lights before you and your family go to bed or out of the house.
• Use low voltage - the use of solar powered, LED or low voltage lights is recommended for outdoor use due to decreased chance of overheating and electric shock.

Christmas laser light displays

Much easier to install than attaching 50 string lights, Santa, sleigh and half a dozen reindeer to the roof, home laser kits the are latest in Christmas light technology. Home laser light displays can easily light up large area's of the house with one or two projectors but have been flagged as potentially disruptive to air traffic after an American Airlines pilot recently reported being flashed by a laser from a Christmas light display. If using this style of lighting ensure it is positioned to light the house and not project into the sky. Always follow manufacturers instructions on setting up and safe running.

If you are unsure about your Christmas light set up or would like some advice on keeping your home electrically safe this festive season give our experienced electricians a call on 07 3883 2119 or complete our service request form today.