A Guide for Great Christmas lights on your home

The holiday season is upon us again and for those of you who like to go to town with your lights and outdoor decorations here is our guide to getting your lights right!

Walk before you run

If it’s your first time using outdoor lights, less is more; start with two or three pieces and build from there. Use trees or bushes as initial focal points. You can add to your collection year on year.

Safety first

It seems obvious, but only use lights which are made specifically for outdoor use and make sure that they carry the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) label.

Knowledge is key

There are so many different types of outdoor light suitable for every inch of your home, garden, garage or fence. From blinking and static rope lights to net lights, you need to know what goes where best before buying.

Do a quick check

There’s nothing worse than getting your lights put up only to find there are bulbs that have burnt out and don’t light up. Do quick checks to see if you can spot any before you put them up.

Working at heights

The odds are that you’re going to need to get up high on your property or garden foliage. If so make sure you use a study, safe ladder and don’t do it alone; Christmas in hospital is no fun for anyone! Take your time and always work from the bottom up.

Think location

If only one side of a tree is visible, only light that side for maximum effect. Use stake lights to map out pathways and driveways; multi-colored ones work especially well.

Don’t blow it!

The last thing you want to do is overload your circuits so make sure there is no more than 1400 watts on a circuit. How do you know if you’re overloading? Well the lights in your house will start to dim so it should be easy to spot!

If in doubt, call in the experts. Electricity really isn’t to be trifled with so if you are unsure about your installations in any way it’s best to call a qualified professional to give everything the once over or even install everything for you.

Do your bit for the environment

It’s tempting to just permanently have your home as a beacon of Christmas-ness in your neighbourhood, but you really should turn off the lights when you go to bed. You can leave them on a timer just in case you are liable to forget.

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Looking for expert real estate advice? Give Paul Eviston a call at 604-737-8865. He's never too busy to chat about Vancouver real estate. For more home or Vancouver neighbourhood tips, visit our Realtor Blog.