The holidays are a wonderful time of year. Family time, great food, and holiday lights! Amid the celebration and decorations, remember to be safety smart when it comes to all things electrical.

This video by Fox2 St. Louis has some great holiday safety tips.

• Examine all of your holiday lights prior to hanging them. If any cords are frayed, cracked, or damaged, they need replaced.
• Check the rating! For any lights used on the exterior of your home, verify that they are rated for outdoor use.
• Speaking of rating: only purchase lights that are UL listed. UL = Underwriter’s Laboratory, which is the OSHA approved testing company to certify the safety compliance of fixtures.
• Do not use any more than three standard sized sets of lights on one outlet or standard extension cord. Overloading can cause them to overheat and lead to a fire.
• Outdoor lights should be plugged into weatherproof GFI outlets, for your protection. If you don’t have a GFI with a weatherproof bubble cover on the exterior of your home, call Fielder Electrical Services to wire one (or more) for you. (314) 773-4955
• Remember to turn your holiday lights and other electrically powered decorations off! When leaving your home, it is important to turn off your decorations- just in case!

If you have questions or concerns about holiday lighting safety, please call Fielder Electrical Services at (314) 773-4955. We can help with all your electrical wiring needs!