Outdoor holiday lighting safety: cords, timers and ladders
Most holiday lighting problems come from three places: the wrong cord, a wet connection, and a ladder. Here is the short list.
Use outdoor-rated everything
Lights, extension cords, timers and power strips all come in indoor and outdoor versions. The box or the tag says which. Outdoors, use only the ones marked for outdoor use.
Plug into a GFCI outlet
An outdoor outlet should have a GFCI safety button, the kind with Test and Reset. It shuts the power off if water gets where it should not. If your outlet does not have one, ask an electrician about adding one.
Keep connections dry and off the ground
Where two cords plug together, lift the connection off the ground and cover it with a weatherproof cord box. Do not let it sit in a puddle, in snow or in a flower bed that gets watered.
Do not overload a string
Every box says how many strings can be connected end to end. Stay at or under that number, and start a new run from the outlet when you reach it.
Ladders
Set the ladder on firm, level ground and have someone hold it. Move the ladder instead of reaching. Stay well away from the power line that runs to your house. If the roofline is high, hiring an installer for that one part is money well spent.
Let a timer do the work
A dusk-to-dawn or bedtime timer turns everything off when you are asleep or away, and saves you a trip outside in the cold.