With all the entertaining and decorating, the holiday season tends to see an increased use of electricity compared to other times of the year. As you use more power, it’s important to keep some key safety tips in mind to avoid any hazards or issues that could require electrical repairs. No matter how you choose to celebrate the holidays, here are some important safety practices to follow.

3 Electrical Safety Tips for the Holidays

1. Inspect Your Decorations

Whether you’re pulling your lights out after months of storage or you’ve recently purchased a new set, inspect all decorations for signs of damage. Replace any items if the coating over wires has worn away, the connections are loose, or the sockets are damaged. Otherwise, you could put your home at risk of fire or damage that needs electrical repairs.

2. Limit Light Strings

It’s easy to get carried away with the holiday spirit and string bunches of lights together. However, you should only string three sets together at most—any more could trip a circuit breaker or be too much for the outlet.

3. Avoid Overloading Outlets

Each outlet in your home is designed to accommodate a certain amount of wattage. This means you should only plug in one high-power electrical device into an outlet. Otherwise, you risk overloading an outlet, which may lead to an electrical fire.

Outdoor decorations require extra caution. It’s highly recommended that you use outlets equipped with ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI) for any electric lights or lawn decor. For personal safety, when decorating outside the home, use a fiberglass or wooden ladder rather than one made of metal.

If you find yourself needing electrical repairs or upgrades this holiday season, contact Miller & Humphrey Plumbing & Electric. This talented team has been serving Coffee County, AL, for more than 60 years and offers a wide range of services for both commercial and residential clients. Whether you need a small fix or an entirely new installation, call (334) 347-9212 to request assistance. Find out more about their services by visiting their website.