Is your home ready for Halloween?
With Halloween fast approaching, you may be starting to think about adding some spooky lighting features to your yard. When it comes to putting up Halloween decor and accommodating trick or treaters, safety should be your number one priority. Even a temporary setup needs to be up to safety standards and requirements. Here are a few things to consider before putting up your Halloween lights.
Outdoor Rated Fixtures and Bulbs – If you’re going to be installing light fixtures outside, they will need to be designed and built for that purpose. Temperatures and weather conditions can fluctuate a lot more outdoors, so you will want lights that can survive those conditions. Make sure that bulbs and lights are labeled “outdoor”.
Outdoor Rated Extension Cords – Extension cords that are typically used indoors are usually light and flexible, but they’re not made to stand up against getting wet. An outdoor rated extension cord is necessary for any temporary lighting you’re putting up outside your home.
Avoid Flammable Materials – Lighting materials generate heat, so you will want to keep them away from things that can ignite and burn easily such as Halloween decor and/or costumes.
Weather Resistant Receptacles – Don’t run cords out through a doorway or window from inside your home. Instead, always plug temporary lighting into outdoor receptacles that are weather resistant.
Attach with Non-Metal and Non-Binding Materials – Use caution when attaching string lights or ornaments to areas of your home. Metal conducts electricity, so stick to plastic cable ties and avoid anything that might damage your wires.
GFCI Protection – A Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter is essential when it comes to electrical safety, and should be installed anywhere that you might be plugging something in while grounded.
Cover Wet Locations – If your outdoor receptacle isn’t located beneath a roof or some kind of protective cover you will need to install an “in-use” cover over it. This will helpkeep your plugs dry, even in the rain.
Holiday and Landscape Lighting from Haramis Electric
Looking to install new lighting this holiday? Haramis Electric can help you get the job done. Haramis Electric is an Anne Arundel County-based electrical contracting company. We offer both residential and commercial services for clients throughout Maryland. Haramis Electric provides incomparable service that will give you the electrical work you need for your Crofton home without pushing you over your budget. Request a free estimate online or by calling 410-451-0200.
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