The Do’s and Don’ts with your lights this Christmas

The Do’s and Don’ts with your lights this Christmas

It may only feel like yesterday since you packed away the Christmas decorations and lights, but did you know that a year is quite a long time for your Christmas lights (especially outdoor lights) to easily become electrically unsafe without you knowing it?

Don’t let dodgy lights ruin your Christmas! To ensure you and your family enjoy a safe holiday season this year, we have compiled a list of simple Do’s and Don’ts when it comes to checking your Christmas lights:

Do:

• check your Christmas lights are not damaged or broken before use and always look out for loose wires.
• Always read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
• ensure all outdoor lights are connected via a 30mA RCD protected socket – This is vital for protection against dangerous faults!
• ensure any plugs and transformers are plugged in indoors, even if the lighting is suitable for outdoor use.
• use only replacement bulbs of the same type and rating as those originally supplied with the lights.
• replace failed lamps immediately to prevent overheating.
• keep lights away from flammable decorations and materials that can burn easily.
• switch your lights off and unplug them before you go to bed or go out.

Don’t:

• use lights outdoors unless they are specially designed for such outdoor use.
• overload sockets – try to avoid the use of extension leads or adaptors
• use lights that are damaged or faulty
• connect different lighting sets together.
• connect lights to the supply whilst still in the packaging.
• remove or insert lamps while the chain is connected to the supply
• attempt to repair faulty lights – replace them

We would also strongly recommend that you use LED lights where possible instead of traditional Christmas filament lighting. These are because:

• They can significantly reduce the risk of electric shock as they operate at extra-low voltage.
• They are therefore much safer to use – They use much less power, generating little heat and so reducing the risk of fire and burns.
• They are estimated to use 80-90% less electricity than filament lamps so they are less expensive to run and typically last up to 60 times longer.
• They are much more durable. LED lights are made of a special plastic with no filament, therefore there are no glass lamps to break.

They are a great deal more efficient to run and good at saving energy so are more environmentally friendly.