Everyone knows the struggles, the perils, and frustrations that come with the annual untangling of Christmas lights. It’s a job no one is excited about, but always necessary when you’re bringing Christmas cheer to your home.

But while you’re battling with the knotted mess of lights, are you also considering your safety?

In the U.S., 1 in 5 Christmas decoration related injuries is due to Christmas lights. Similarly, in the U.K., more than 1 in 40 people have suffered an electric shock due to poorly wired Christmas lights.

New Zealand is likely not to be much different, with thousands of Kiwis lighting up their homes for Christmas.

Even last year, a woman experienced an explosion with her lights, resulting in severe fire damage to her property.

It was extremely fortunate that, in this case, there were no injuries. But in these situations, you don’t want to rely on luck.

Poorly done Christmas lights can lead to fires and property damage, costing you thousands of dollars or even potentially your life.

2020 has not been a year that we want to invite more disaster to. We’re here to help you stay safe and keep your Christmas cheery.

The biggest risks

One of the major causes of Christmas lights hazards is short-circuiting. This can stem from plugging too many lights into one outlet or having old or damaged lights.

Buying cheap Christmas lights may look like an easy money saver, but it could end up costing you. Poor-quality lights often don’t pass basic safety tests. So even if you do everything right, cheaply made lights could still end up giving you an electric shock or causing a fire.

Things you should be doing

• Check lights carefully to see if any bulbs need replacing
• Look over instructions and check lights suitable for your plugs/fuses
• Use a surge-proof plug adaptor
• Check wires regularly for overheating
• Switch lights off before you go to bed
• Use a timer plug with your Christmas lights (this saves power and helps prevent the possibility of electrical hazards or fires!)
• Use plastic cable ties to hang up wiring
• Check for frayed cords, broken wires, or loose cables

What you should not be doing

• Never use lights with damaged wiring
• Don’t let wires touch water
• Don’t use indoor lights outside
• Never put lights on flammable decorations
• Using cheap or poor quality electrical products
• Don’t put too many strands of lights per electrical outlet

This Christmas, you should be enjoying time with your family under safely installed twinkling Christmas lights. And being able to head out knowing your house is safe because you turned off your lights or put them on a timer.

We want you all to have a merry Christmas. But most of all, we want you to be safe.

No Shock has the knowledge and experience to keep your safe this Christmas. With our support, we can ensure that your 2020 Christmas will be a joyful one!

CHOOSE OUR CERTIFIED ELECTRICIANS FOR ALL YOUR NEEDS

From commercial electrical services to residential new home lighting, No Shock has a team of fully qualified, accredited, and registered Master electricians dedicated to giving you fast, efficient, and reliable services at affordable rates.

Along with our exceptional customer service, we proudly uphold our ethical standards, priding ourselves on our safety, top quality work, and a high-performance standard.

When you need an Auckland electrician you can genuinely trust, call the No Shock Electrical Team on (09) 636 8742 for fast, friendly, and efficient electrical services.