Outdoor Holiday Lighting Tips from the Pros

Here at Universal Home Experts we may be biased, but we think Houstonians know how to take holiday lighting to the next level. Every Christmas, homes all around Houston decorate in grand fashion for the holiday season. Whether you are trying to keep up with the neighbors next door or are hanging holiday lights for the first time, these tips from our lighting technicians will have your house holiday-ready in no time.

Pro Lighting Tips

• Sometimes simple is better. Don’t worry about covering your entire home in lights. Outlining your roof, door ways and architectural features can be enough if done right.Have a plan before you start. Take measurements and know what colors you will want to use.
• Choose a color scheme. All white is always a classic. Colors like all green or all red or combinations can set your home apart. Colors placed randomly can become overwhelming.
• Test your lights ahead of time and replace any missing bulbs before hanging them. This is also a good time to replace any damaged strands.
• Accent key features of your house and yard for maximum curb appeal.
• Use LED lights. They are more energy efficient and require less wattage than incandescent bulbs.
• Be careful not to overload the circuit. Most outlets can usually handle up to about 600 mini lights strung together.
• Start at the center of your home and work your way out. This will help maximize the number of outlets you use and draw the focus to the center of your home.
• If you want to decorate your roof or architectural details, balance it by lining the roof line.
• Add different layers of lighting by decorating the roof and ground.
• To focus on the yard, use shrubs and trees as focal points to help guide the eye to the main entrance of the house.
• Light walkways and the borders of garden beds to add visual interest to the design.
• Use light duty clips to secure lights to your home and gutter without having to use staples or nails that could puncture the wire or insulation.

Stay Safe!

Holiday lights involve a lot of electricity being conducted at one time and working on the roof or a ladder. Any time you are working with electricity, respect it and be careful. Follow these tips to stay safe while hanging your Christmas lights this season.

• Always inspect the wires before using them.
• Try to avoid connecting too many strands together and overloading the circuit.
• When adding lights near the ground, be aware of any water present.
• Test your outdoor GFCI outlets and make sure they are working properly. They help to protect against overloading the circuit and potential fire hazards.
• Practice caution on rooftops or elevated areas.
• Turn outside holiday lights off when away from your home or asleep.
• Use 3-wire grounded extension cords for outside use.
• Do not replace bulbs when the electricity is on.
• Use a non-conducting fiberglass or wooden ladder when working with electricity.
• Securely fasten outdoor lights with light duty staples or gutter clips to protect from weather and wind damage.

Christmas lights are one of our favorite holiday traditions here at Universal. As with any home improvement project, the most important thing is to stay safe and plan ahead. You can never be too careful when there is electricity involved.

Whether you are a seasoned lighting pro or decorating for the first time, these tips from our professional technicians are sure to set your house apart from the rest this holiday season! As the winter days get shorter it becomes more and more important to have adequate outdoor landscape lighting. From indoor home lighting to outdoor landscape lighting, let Universal Home Experts help your home stand out in your neighborhood!