When hanging holiday lights outside, stay safe and protect your home by using hooks and clips designed for the task. Follow basic safety tips for a worry-free holiday.
• Don’t staple or nail to trim: If you must attach lights directly to trim, avoid using metal fasteners like staples or nails. They can damage the insulation around the wiring, which can cause lights to fail and pose a fire and electrocution hazard.
Instead of attaching lights to the trim, use hooks and clips where the lights will hang. Gutter and roof clips that are either pressed or nailed to the exterior of the home, not the trim, have a hook at the bottom to hold the string.
• Clips for vertical lights: For lights hung vertically — along the sides of doors, for instance — look for trim clips that wrap around the cord and keep it from swinging. You can nail them in or attach them with an adhesive. Nailed clips are usually more secure.
Space the clips about one foot apart. If you have an elaborate design above the door, consider hanging lights from the top down on each side. Otherwise, begin on one side and work your way around.
• Safety ideas: Enlist a helper to hold the lights and keep the string untangled. Set the cord securely in the hook or clip, making sure there’s no risk of damaging insulation or bulbs. Check packaging to see how many strings can be safely attached end-to-end — LED lights can make longer chains than incandescent.
Once the lights are hung, plug them in and enjoy the result. If a string does not work, check the bulbs and make sure the strings are connected securely.
• Don’t use nail-in hooks on a garage door: Nails will damage the door panels and won’t hold the lights very well. If you do damage a panel, look for a company that repairs single panels.
• Consider hiring: Too much work? Consider hiring a professional holiday decorator or a handyman to make your home more festive.
