halloween lighting and extension cord safety

Halloween is a great time to spook your neighborhood out with exciting decorations and festive lights. However, the true horror would be doing all of that without practicing electrical safety. The last thing you need is an electrical fire on your hands. But you don’t need to worry too much about that because the pros at Roman Electric are here to tell you all you need to know about Halloween lighting and extension cord safety!

1. If Using Old Lights, Be Sure to Inspect Them Before Use!

It’s smart and cost-effective to use older decorations. However, before you put them up, be sure to look at them and see if there are no frayed or loose wires, broken bulbs or loose connections. If ignored, these seemingly small problems can turn into major fire hazards.

2. If Putting Up Outdoor Lights, Use an Outdoor Extension Cord

Many people make the mistake of using indoor extension cords outdoors—do not make this same misstep! Indoor extension cords do not have proper insulation, which often protects outdoor cords from temperature changes and moisture outdoors. In addition, indoor extension cords have lower amperage ratings, meaning they would not be able to power outdoor lights and decorations. Use an outdoor extension cord for your outdoor decorations as it will be a much more durable option. You can easily find an outdoor cord at your nearest home improvement store—make sure you check the label for the UL (Underwriters Laboratory) approved outdoor rated cord.

3. Make Use of Your GFCI Outlet

Make sure you plug your decorations into GFCI outlets. GFCI stands for “Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter”—an outlet with a GFCI can protect people from electrocution. If you plug an appliance into a GFCI outlet and the appliance is exposed to a lot of water, the GFCI can sense this interruption and shut power off immediately. A GFCI outlet can quite literally be lifesaver, so be sure to make use of it this Halloween.

4. Use Weatherproof Outlet Covers

The weather can be quite unpredictable these days—that’s why it’s important to take the right precautions to protect your Halloween decorations from it. One way you can do that is to use weatherproof outlet covers. A lot of these outlet covers can protect your outlets while decorations are still plugged in and in-use.

5. Use Hooks to Hang Up Your Lights

Make sure to never nail in your string lights on trees or walls. Instead, use insulated hooks while hanging your Halloween lights and decorations.

6. Use LED Candles for Your Pumpkins

To avoid risk of burns or even a fire, use an LED candle instead of a real, wax candle. It will have the same spooky effect while being completely safe to use!

Have any more questions about safe Halloween lighting? Our team of professionals will be more than happy to help you out! Call us today at 414-369-3798 or schedule a service with us on our website!