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Real Estate and *stuff *

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Holiday Lighting Safety Checklist

December 3, 2010

Before you plug in and light up for the holidays, run your decorations through this quick safety check.  So I guess I shouldn’t staple THROUGH the light cord?  I also don’t see where duct tape isn’t recommended…hmmmm.  Who wants to help me with the lights?

Inspect light strings. Discard any that are damaged. Frayed or cracked electrical cords or broken sockets are leading fire hazards.

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for connecting multiple strings. The general limit is three strings.  Light strings with stacked plugs can usually accommodate greater lengths than end-to-end connections.

Replace burned-out bulbs promptly. Empty sockets can cause the entire string to overheat.

Make sure outdoor lighting is UL-rated for exterior use. Exterior lights, unlike those used inside the house, need to be weather-resistant. The same goes for any extension cords used outdoors.

Don’t use outdoor lights indoors. They’re too hot for interior use. For the coolest bulbs and greatest energy efficiency, try LED lights, which come in a wide range of styles and colors.

Don’t attach light strings with nails or staples. They can cut through the wire insulation and create a fire hazard. Only use UL-approved hangers.

Take exterior lights down within 90 days. The longer they stay up, the more likely they are to suffer damage from weather and critters chewing on them.

Store lights safely. Tangled lights can lead to damaged cords and broken sockets. After the holidays, coil each string loosely around a stiff piece of cardboard, wrap it in paper or fabric to protect the bulbs, and store in a sturdy container until next year.

Pat Curry is a former senior editor at BUILDER, the official magazine of the National Association of Home Builders, and a frequent contributor to real estate and home-building publications.

Holiday lights…energy saving LEDs and a gift card!

November 30, 2010 — 1 Comment

That’s it…I am decorating with every light strand I can find!  Here is some great information on the energy costs (or lack of energy costs) associated with LED Christmas lights and a holiday lighting contest!  Realtor.com has a contest on their Facebook page with a $250 gift card prize!  (see links at the end of the blog)

Newer decorations that use LED lights are especially light on the pocketbook. Even if you take your holiday decorations to the extreme, you might see little change in your utility bill if you use LED lights. )If you’re reluctant to deck your halls for the holidays because of your own or others’ economic hardships, you may be happy to hear that lighting up for the festivities doesn’t cost nearly as much as it used to.

According to MarketWatch, advancements in energy efficiency have led to big savings for consumers, who now can expect to spend just $1.26 a month to light, for five hours a night, a 70-watt decoration such as an inflatable snow globe that uses LED lighting.

You might not be so lucky if you go the route of the Griswolds from “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” since the older, bigger bulbs tend to suck up quite a bit more energy. But if all you need is one strand of 50 minilights on for five hours a night, that’ll put you back 40 cents a month. And if you indulge in the LED strand, it’ll cost just 7 cents a month, MarketWatch reports.

Maybe that’s helping convince more people that it’s time to buy some new holiday decor.

MarketWatch also writes that according to a survey from the National Retail Federation, fewer people, at 31.5%, plan to use the same decorations they used last year, compared with 34% from a similar poll in 2009. Online and brick-and-mortar retailers have seen similar signs of a growth in holiday decor sales.

So if you plan on taking your holiday decorations to the next level this year, why not see if they’re among the nation’s best?

Realtor.com is asking homeowners to upload images of their holiday decorations to its Facebook page, and will award the two homes with the best decorations each a $250 gift card for Bed Bath & Beyond.

Think your home has what it takes to win? Or do you plan to pass on the decorations this year because of utility costs or other reasons?

Don’t want to upload your pictures or join their Facebook page…just email me your pictures with your name and I will make sure it gets in – amymullen@remax.net