Are you planning to use holiday lights to get your home looking more festive? If so, there are a few precautions that you should consider taking to ensure your family's safety and prevent property damages. The following information will aid in ensuring that your holiday decor and lighting are not an electrical disaster waiting to happen. 

Cords

These can pose electrical and trip hazards. Aim to avoid running cords across floors or your lawn. The cords can get worn down over time due to "foot traffic." This can make them an electrical fire risk. Unsuspecting visitors to your home could also injure themselves if they trip over cords. If you plan to use extension cords outdoors, ensure that you choose extension cords that are deemed safe for outdoor use. 

Light Strands

Most likely you will need to connect light strands together to adorn your property. Minimize the number of connected strands of lights. For example, you may want to consider connecting no more than three or four strands in sequence. This means that you may have to use longer strands of lights to cover large areas such as the front of your home. You could likely use shorter strands of lights for areas such as your fireplace mantle. You also need to inspect your lights prior to hanging them. This is because it will be more productive to spot damaged places in wires and not use them rather than discovering them after all of your lights are put into place. 

Outlets

You also need to be mindful of overloading your outlets. This means that you should not plug in more than a few sets of lights. If you need additional outlets, it would be best to have a licensed electrician install additional outlets to avoid overloading issues. The professional will need to inspect your electrical panel to determine if you can install additional outlets, and as long as the panel can handle the added outlets, the installation process should be fairly simple. If some of your lights do not illuminate when you turn them on, it might be due to overloaded sockets. For your outdoor lighting needs, you may want to install additional outlets to avoid overloading and the hazards associated with running cords. 

An electrical contractor is a good resource to use for more holiday lighting tips. Some of these professionals may also offer their services to ensure that lights are installed correctly. They can also make other upgrades to your home to ensure that it can handle the increased electrical demands. Contact a company like R & R Electric Co Inc to learn more.