Halloween is great for spooky decorations, with some people setting up spectacular displays. But there are some things that are important to think about to keep your home safe from fires for the night. In this article, we talk about those safety steps so your family can enjoy your decorations this year.
Things To Avoid
Overloading Circuits: When it comes to Halloween decorations sometimes less is more. It’s easy to overload a circuit and you want to make sure you aren’t plugging too many items at once. If you’re pulling too much power, the breaker for that outlet should trip. Many fires start from small extension cords with too many things plugged into them.
Putting Light Plugs In Rain Gutters: It’s not a smart idea to put the plugs in the gutters. Even if you want to hide them when plugging in your Halloween lights outside along a roof. Our electricians see this happen too often and have even had to chip some out of ice. That kind of water contact can cause serious problems if anything shorts out.
ELECTRICAL: Christmas Lights
Click this link to watch our In The House podcast talking all about Christmas lights.
Things To Do
Check Your Extension Cords: Some people put them up year after year after year. Especially for outdoor lights sun and cold outside can be very damaging to the cords. Inspect the strands of lights before you put any Halloween lights up for damage or exposed wires, especially outside ones. If you can bend the wires and they’re brittle and crack, don’t use them. If they’re not in good shape, it’s not worth using them on or in your house.
Use Working GFCI Outlets: GFCI (or Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) protection is especially important when considering exterior Halloween lights. Because the lights and electrical cords are exposed to the elements, they have a higher chance of weather damage. GFCI outlets shut the circuit down if they sense the power isn’t going where it should because they assume it’s going through you. That can prevent fires and helps to keep your family safe.
How to Troubleshoot and Replace an Outdoor GFCI Outlet
Click this link for a video showing you how to troubleshoot if your GFCI is just tripped or if it needs to be replaced.
We hope you enjoy your Halloween decorations this year. If you have any problems, Any Hour Services would be happy to help. One of our electricians can answer any questions you may have and help your family be safe. You can give us a call or schedule an appointment online.
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