Kitchens by Riland

Christmas is a wonderful and joyful time of the year. It is also the time to decorate both the inside and outside of your home as though it was an airport runway. The more outdoor Xmas lights you are able to put in the yard, on the house and the bushes the better you feel as though the job is done correctly. Outdoor lights are designed specifically for being outside in the elements. You should never use indoor only lights to decorate the exterior of your home.

The fist thing to do is gather all of your decorations and lights. The lights will be the first part of the decoration phase so it is usually easier to get them all together for testing at the same time. Plug in each set that you have had in storage to determine if they are a working set. If there are bulbs out, you have the option of changing out the blown bulbs, living them burnt out if the rest still light up or purchase new sets. I happen to fall into the just get new ones category. This sometimes just seems easier than checking and changing bulbs.

After all strands have been checked it is necessary to figure out how they will be plugged in and where. If there are a lot of different strands being used they could blow a fuse so it is advisable to follow the manufactures recommendations on a safe maximum amount on the same outlet. If necessary using a safety multi plug addition will be helpful for having all plugs in the same general vicinity.

Outdoor Xmas lights look amazing when they are placed along the roof line but it is important to remove any thing that may be in the gutters such as leaves or other debris. If these are left in the gutter area there is a possibility fire could happen. Also check any extension cords and light cords to make sure they are in good shape with no wires showing or tears in the wire coverings.

Purchase sufficient amounts of the hooks or clips for securing properly to the structure of the house to prevent any sagging and for keeping the light strands in place during windy weather. The average space is approximately one foot between each clip. Avoid using staples as if it goes through the wire as opposed to around the wire it could passably cause a fire. Also it is easier to kind of lay the outdoor Xmas lights out on the lawn to give you an idea of where they are going.