Every year, when December rolls around, people start opening the boxes that have been sitting in garages and attics all year. You find lights you forgot buying, lights you thought were broken, and some that somehow tied themselves into a knot. And then the real job starts, figuring out how to put everything up without blowing a fuse or making your bill jump for no reason.
Since ACS Home Services gets so many calls during the holidays, mostly about tripped breakers or outdoor outlets acting weird, it’s better to take a bit of care before plugging everything in. If you ever feel unsure about wiring, outlets, or anything electrical, our Tampa electrical team can help.
Anyway, here are the things most people forget, but make holiday lighting safer and cheaper to run.
1. Look at Your Lights Before You Put Them Up
Most people don’t check anything. They pull the lights out and start putting them on the tree or across the roof right away. It helps to just lay them out on the floor and look for things that feel “off.”
Stuff like cracked wires, loose bulbs, weird warm spots after you plug them in for a second. It only takes a minute, and it saves your wall outlet from getting fried later.
2. Don’t Trust Old Extension Cords
A lot of holiday issues come from extension cords that should’ve been thrown out years ago. If the ends wobble or the insulation feels soft or broken, don’t use them.
Outdoor setups should always use outdoor-rated cords. Tampa gets damp nights during the season, and moisture doesn’t mix well with thin indoor cords.
3. Don’t Mix Bulbs to Make a Strand Work
Sometimes a bulb goes out, and people take one from any random strand. If the strand is LED, keep it LED. If it’s incandescent, keep it incandescent.
Mixing them makes the wire heat up in weird ways, and that’s the part people don’t notice until it’s too late.
4. Use Electrical Tape Only (Not “Any” Tape)
If you see a little cut in the insulation, electrical tape can help. The proper one. Duct tape, gift-wrap tape, and masking tape all melt or dry out, causing more trouble.
Bigger damage? Don’t tape. Toss it.
5. Skip Nails and Staples on the Roof
People still do this. Nails and staples pinch the wires, and the wire might spark under the outer coating. Light clips are cheap and easier to deal with. Once you use clips for one year, you’ll use them every time.
6. Don’t Connect Too Many Strands
Everyone wants one long, perfect line of lights. Most light sets have a limit printed on them, sometimes three strands, sometimes five.
If you go past that, the whole thing overheats or keeps blowing fuses. Spread the load. Start another line from a different outlet.
7. Use GFCI for Real Trees or Wet Areas
If you water your tree often and have lights on it, a GFCI outlet helps protect your home. It turns the power off instantly if something goes wrong.
ACS Home Services can install one if you don’t have one near the tree or outside at all. Our Tampa electrical page explains it clearly.
8. Turn the lights off when you sleep or leave
Many people leave lights on all night because it looks nice. It also adds unnecessary heat to the wires and bumps your power bill for no reason.
A plug-in timer is the easiest fix and doesn’t cost much.
9. If things keep tripping, call an electrician
Holiday setups pull more power than regular days, the tree lights, outdoor stuff, inflatables, plug-in décor. If your breakers keep popping or outlets feel warm, it’s better to call someone trained.
ACS Home Services can check your outlets, circuits, and load issues. You can reach them at 833-278-8886 whenever needed.
FAQs
1. Why do my lights flicker sometimes?
Flickering usually happens when the strand or extension cord is loose, or the outlet can’t handle the load.
2. Is it better to switch to LED lights?
LEDs stay cooler and use less energy, so they’re cheaper to run and safer for long hours. And, if you’d like that vintage warm glow, there are wonderful brands of LEDs (like Tru-Tone) that can provide that nostalgic glow without the dangers and cost of running incandescents.
3. Can I use indoor lights outside?
It’s safer not to. Outdoor lights are made to handle moisture and temperature changes.
4. Why do my breakers trip when I plug in decorations?
That means the circuit is overloaded. Splitting things across outlets helps.
5. Should I use a power strip for holiday lights?
Only if it’s a h2, heavy-duty strip, cheap strips overheat quickly.
6. How do I know if an extension cord is safe for outdoors?
Outdoor cords are thicker, usually orange or heavy-coated, and labeled for outdoor use.
7. Do timers help save energy?
Yes, because the lights won’t stay on when you forget to turn them off.
8. When should I call an electrician during the holidays?
If cords spark, outlets get warm, or lights keep shutting off, get a professional to check it.
