One of the most festive parts of the holiday season is the beautiful light displays families all over the world don on their houses. With even the simplest decorations, however, there can be a homeowners insurance claim waiting in the new year with potential slips, falls, and fires. To keep the holidays fun and safe, consider these hazards you could face throughout the decorating process.

Potential Holiday Lighting Hazards

The Weather

Decorating the outside of your home for Christmas during severe weather is not only unpleasant, but it’s also dangerous. Rain and heavy winds will make climbing to hang lights difficult and slippery on a ladder, and ice will make any excursion on your roof a falling hazard. Take caution if you need to decorate in these conditions, and try to avoid them by landing a hot day to hang lights. If hanging lights in your trees, also take precautionary steps to assure that the branches are strong and healthy. Otherwise, you’ll spend the holidays filing a homeowners insurance claim to fix damage from a falling limb. 

Ladder Use

The most significant falling risk in the decorating process is climbing ladders. Assure that you have a sturdy ladder that will carry your weight for the job, and always have someone there to hold the ladder steady when you’re on it. Homeowners insurance will cover home accidents like falls, but work slowly and diligently, regularly moving your ladder, so you don’t have to reach to hang lights further down. If you climb onto the roof, make sure to have a low center of gravity to keep yourself steady on the high, unprotected surface, and if you don’t finish the job by dark, leave it and come back the next day. 

Lights

If you’re buying new lights, for the sake of sparing you the homeowners insurance claim, invest in LED lights. They’re energy efficient, durable, and less prone to overheating like traditional incandescent bulbs. For decorating outside, make sure the lights and extension cords you use are for outdoor use; they need to be weatherproof, or they’ll short out and start a fire. Also, check the packaging to see the limit for how many strands you can connect before you’ll blow a fuse or overheat the bulbs—some lights can handle more than others. 

Cords

When running cords throughout the yard to cater to your festive decorations, take care to have them out of the way of where there will be foot traffic. All cables should be secured so people can’t trip over them. If you have a cord that can’t reach, just buy another one instead of having a taut, hazardous cable. 

If you encounter a mishap with your holiday lights, quality homeowners insurance will have you covered. The team at Arlene Lear Insurance has provided a full slate of coverage to the residents of Bolivar, MO, for over 40 years. Their friendly, knowledgeable representatives will walk you through the insurance buying process to find the best option for your needs and your wallet. For peace of mind this holiday season, call their team at (417) 777-3000. You can also find them online and on Facebook.