Electrical Safety Checklist

It’s that time of year again, you’ve hauled out miles of Christmas lights and are preparing to make the holiday bright, but have you taken the time to inspect your seasonal bling? Here are some things to check:

• Check plugs and cords for damaged insulation (cracking, fraying, exposed wires)
• Are your decorations CSA or UL approved (or other applicable certification by country)?
• Are your light strings and plug-in decorations rated for outdoor use?
• Does the receptacle that you are plugging your lights into have a Ground Fault Interrupter (GFCI)?
• Are your extension cords rated for outdoor use?
• Don’t overload a circuit by plugging in a larger load than it can handle (i.e. multiple devices, light sets, etc.)
• Remember to secure your ladder when hanging decorations high on your home!

Electrical Safety Indoors

There are some electrical safety tips that are important when decorating the great indoors:

• if you have a live Christmas tree, remember to water it regularly over the holidays so it doesn’t turn into a dry kindling fire hazard (spiky needles all over the floor are very unpleasant as well)
• Be mindful of your heirloom decorations which may run hotter than modern LED lights (see dry kindling tree above)
• Never run electrical cords under carpets
• Never plug a heater in using an extension cord if you are feeling chilly while decorating (or any other time)

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