Before you put even one strand of lights on your Christmas tree or your house, here are safety tips to keep in mind:
•When shopping for lights, electric decorations and extension cords, purchase only those that are UL-Listed.
•If you're planning to decorate outdoors, make sure you use lights and decorations that are rated for outdoor use. Putting indoor-only products outside in the weather can result in electric shock and fire hazards.
•If you're in doubt whether light strings are rated for indoor or outdoor use, check the color-coded UL mark on the product's package. A green holographic UL mark says, "indoors only, please," while a red one indicates that the product is safe for both indoor and outdoor use.
•Whether they're brand-new or seasoned veterans from holidays past, inspect all lights, electric decorations and extension cords for signs of damage to wire insulation, plugs and bulbs.
•Always unplug lights before changing bulbs, replacing fuses or making any other repairs. Mark burned-out bulbs with masking tape so you can find them.
•If you need to replace a bulb in a string of Christmas lights, make sure the wattage rating of the replacement bulb you're using matches that of the light strand.
•When hanging Christmas lights outdoors, reduce electric shock risk by passing up metal ladders in favor of ladders made of non-conductive materials such as wood or fiberglass-reinforced plastic.
• Verify how many strands of lights it is safe to connect end-to-end. (As a general rule, it's three).
•Turn off all Christmas lights before going to bed or leaving the house.
Source: www.cableorganizer.com
A staff report
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement
Advertisement