Hanging Outdoor Christmas Lights
You are going to hang holiday lights for the holidays and you are determined it will look awesome
. If this is your first time, try to keep it simple to figure things out first.
You can always add to your holiday collection each year. That way, you get a feel for what works, what does not, what you like, and what you do not.
View your home from the perspective of a passerby or driver, because it is from their vantage points that others will be viewing your holiday decorations and lights. Stepping back and looking at your house will allow you to view it in its entirety.
You need to see what you want to emphasize on your house, including the yard, porch, along rooflines, windows, and other architectural details that you might want to outline in lights. Taking a photo will enable you to make a rough sketch of where you want to hang and display holiday decorations and yard props.
For experienced, die-hard lighting enthusiasts, holiday lighting computer programs are available to design displays and synchronize lights and music. Before you do this, however, you need to learn the basics of hanging holiday decorations.
Every local newspaper has a story in its archives about a home lighter that fell while hanging Christmas lights. That said; you need to gather supplies and tools to hang outdoor Christmas decorations and make the job quick and safe.
Some supplies that you will need include an extension ladder, light clips, a tape measure, and outdoor extension cords. You may also need an extension pole, plastic zip ties, power stakes, and an automatic timer.
With a retractable tape measure in hand, estimate the width or height of the area on which you wish to hang strands. Make notations on the photo printout of your house, so you will know how many feet of strands are needed for each section.
When starting out, it is best to hang lights on one area of your house, like the roofline, or outlining the front door or windows. Add a section each year, rather than all in one season.
If you would like to avoid an extra trip up the ladder and if your roofline is flat, another way of estimating the width or length of the area you want to hang lights is to measure the width of the house at the bottom. While not precise down to the exact inch, it gives you better than a rough idea of how many feet of strands are needed.
When buying strands, look for a box marked for indoor or outdoor use. They are made to withstand the elements.
You do not want the more-fragile indoor lights decorating something outside, only to have it stop working in a week or two. While unpacking strands, look for any broken or missing bulbs.
Also check the cord for worn or cut wiring, and disentangle strands or cords. Plug in the strand to an electrical outlet to make sure all the bulbs are working.
Many strands come with replacement bulbs, if you keep them in a place where you can find them. The older incandescent bulb strands are more likely to all stop working if one or two bulbs burn out.
LED bulbs, on the other hand, do not tend to have the same problem and also last longer and are more energy efficient. Do not mix LEDs with incandescent strands on the same circuit.
While the traditional method of installing holiday decorations was to use nails or to attach cords with a staple gun, try to avoid doing it this way. Plastic clips make the job so much easier.
To install, snap the strand into the jaws of the clip, then slide the other end of the clip onto the roofline or gutter. While you are up on the roof or ladder, try to work from the top on down.
by: Ronald Pedactor
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