Holiday Decorating Tips to Keep Your Home Safe

When putting up your holiday lights and decorations this year, try to remember that being cheap and using shortcuts to hang those displays aren’t necessarily the brightest, nor the safest thing to do. The roofers and builders at Bluebird Construction genuinely care about your safety. We want you to exercise extreme caution and good judgment when hanging your holiday decorations. To keep your risk of accidents and damage to your home down to a minimal, here are some safety tips you can use. 

Christmas Trees

If you’re putting up a tree this year, do not set it up near any heat sources, such as by the fireplace or heat vents. Any artificial tree that you purchase should be fire resistant. If you are putting up a live Christmas tree, don’t forget to add water to the stand to prevent it from drying out and becoming a fire hazard.

Outdoor Lights

Make sure any Christmas lights you hang on the outside of your home are designed for outdoor use. They should have a label on them to indicate they have been tested by a third party lab for safety and compliance.

Visually inspect and test each string of lights prior to hanging them, regardless of how old or new they are. Also, avoid using more than three strands of lights per outdoor extension cord to prevent electrical shortages and fires.

Always use a ladder that is made to hold more than your weight when hanging up ornaments, decorations, and Christmas lights. The ladder should extend at least three or more feet above your home's roof. Make sure the ladder is planted firmly on the ground with the levelers in place, especially if you are on an incline or slope.

Always plug your exterior lights into a GFCI outlet. This type of outlet offers your home more protection because it immediately closes the circuit, cutting off the flow of electricity if the circuit become overloaded.

Roof Decorations

Instead of relying on staples, nails, and other metal items to secure your roof decorations, start using plastic clips. Plastic clips may cost a little more money, but they are very inexpensive when you compare them to the amount of expense you’ll encounter when repairing roof damage from using metal objects.

For more expert holiday decorating and roofing advice, give Bluebird Construction a call at (615) 758-9101.