Part of the charm and tradition of the holiday season are the lights – colourful twinkling lights brightening up the long nights and lighting up people’s homes.
With that in mind, B.C. Hydro is offering some helpful tips on how to enjoy a bright, safe and energy-efficient holiday season.
For outdoor lights
* Be careful with the ladder. Get someone to hold the bottom of the ladder so that it doesn’t move or secure your ladder by tying it off and staking it to the ground.
* Before you put light strings on a shrub, tree or your house, check them for breaks or signs of deterioration. Replace any light strings with frayed cords or loose connections.
* Keep electrical connections off the ground. Use eave clips or insulated staples, rather than nails and tacks, to hold light strings in place.
For the tree
* Keep your tree at least one metre away from heat vents, baseboards and fireplaces.
* Secure your tree so pets and children can’t knock it over.
* Replace broken bulbs and light sets that have cracked or corroded sockets, frayed plugs, bare wires or loose connections.
* Keep a fire extinguisher handy and your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in good working order.
* Unplug the lights before watering the tree. Keep cords and lights away from the water.