California Homeowner’s Guide to Holiday Lights
The Holidays are in full swing! No matter which holidays you celebrate, putting up lights outside is always a festive delight. There is no better way to show the holiday spirit in a neighborhood than rows of homes decked out in rope lights, icicle lights, string lights, net lights, and color-changing lights.
Nothing is more nostalgic than looking back at old photos of your family home during the holiday season and remembering the time you spent putting up lights with your parents and that moment when the lights were turned on for the first time. Obviously, you want to pass those memories onto your children and create your own light display but don’t know where to start. Don’t worry; you’ve come to the right place.
Here is a comprehensive guide for fun ideas and safe practices for holiday lighting in California!
Choosing LED Lighting
The Christmas lights sitting in a box in your basement have been your go-to lights year in and year out. While they provide you with a ton of nostalgia, they are also costing you more than if you use LED lighting.
LED lights come with a higher upfront cost, but the money it saves in energy uses over time will benefit you immensely in the long run, saving you as much as 20% in energy costs!
Consider Automated Lighting
Keeping your holiday lights on all night or while you’re at work all day not only wastes energy but can also prove to be a fire hazard.
When you use an automated lighting system in your home, you can set a timer for your lights to turn on and off during certain parts of the day without having to worry about it yourself. This will save you a ton of money in the long run and decrease the chance of a fire!
Use Surge Protectors
Depending on how big your house is in the Coachella Valley, you may need a large number of lights to cover your house for the holidays. If you do, be sure to use surge protection!
A large number of lights can prove to be laborious on an electrical system, so using a surge protector decreases the burden of your home’s electrical system.
Cord Management
When setting up your holiday lights, or any electrical wiring for that matter, it’s imperative to have efficient cord management.
Overloading an outlet is a fire hazard while carelessly laying cords around your property can prove to be a tripping hazard. Play it safe and organize your cords properly!
Know the Difference Between Outdoor and Indoor Lights
Yes, there is a noticeable difference between indoor and outdoor holiday lights. Distinguishing between these lights and installing them in their rightful areas will increase their lifespan and decrease the chances of burnout.
You should never plug outdoor lights into indoor electrical outlets. The outside of your home should have GFCI (residual current device) outlets that are meant to protect you from electrical shocks.
When you purchase new lights, be sure to label them for future reference!
What Does California Law Have to Say About Holiday Lights?
An often-neglected aspect of setting up a holiday display is how the law impacts how you set up your holiday lights. You don’t want to take your lights down right after setting them all up!
In California, neighbors can sue you for nuisance because of light displays as long as the lights are, “Anything which is injurious to health … is indecent or offensive to the senses, or an obstruction to the free use of property, so as to interfere with the comfortable enjoyment of life or property, or unlawfully obstructs the free passage or use, in the customary manner, of any …street…” (Civil Code § 3479.)
It is difficult to strike a balance between what your rights are, based on the First Amendment, and how state law intervenes. Check your local ordinance for more information about holiday lights, including what times you can have them on and what is considered a nuisance, and also reach out to your local HOA.
What is the Best Lighting Option for Avoiding Electrical Fires?
Holiday lights, whether externally wrapped around your home or located internally by your Christmas tree or fireplace, are one of the leading causes of electrical fires in the winter; if you didn’t already know, most house fires happen in the winter.
Take extra precautions leading up to the holiday season by replacing lights with frayed or old wires or broken bulbs. Additionally, avoid overloading your electrical system and outlets by plugging in too many lights, either alone or with extension cords, power strips, and adapters.
You can’t go wrong by choosing LED lights. While LEDs may not have the same impact as rows of mini-lights, you use up significantly less energy. Because LEDs are so much more efficient than mini-lights, up to 1000%, and most on the market are recently made, you run essentially zero risk of starting an electrical fire.
Contact SoCal Electrical & Lighting This Holiday Season
If you’re in need of any electrical or lighting services such as custom lighting, electrical wiring, or an electrical panel upgrade, count on SoCal Electrical & Lighting!
Request an estimate online or give us a call at 760-699-2686 today!