Decorating with Outdoor Christmas Lights
Before you go crazy and start hanging your Christmas lights, there are a few things you need to do to prepare for your little adventure. Being prepared before you start hanging your outdoor Christmas lights will save you a lot of time and frustration. Remember, this is supposed to be a joyous time of the year so lets do our best to make that possible.
Preparation
Lay the lights out across your yard and make sure they all work. Replace any bulbs that need replacing. It is a lot easier to replace bulbs on the ground than on a ladder. Make sure none of the wires are split. If they are then you might need to replace those strands of lights. Layout all of your strands of lights where you think they are going. This will give you an idea of whether or not you have enough. Also, laying the lights out first will help you determine how you are going to run power to the different sections. This is something you want to think out so that your extension cords are not visible for the world to see.
Hanging
Make sure you have the clips necessary to hang the lights or you can use a staple gun. You want to make sure that you don’t split the wire while your using your stapler. If you decide to use clips, there are a few types to consider depending on how you are going to hang your lights. Gutter clips and shingle clips are the most popular. Both clips are simple and very easy to use. Gutter clips are in the shape of an “S”. One part of the “S” holds the lights wire and the other clips onto the gutter. Shingle clips look a lot different. Most styles have a circular area on one end where you can slip the lights wire into. The other end is like a flat blade that is made to slip under the edge of a shingle. Determining which clip to use is dependent on whether or not you have gutters. You might have gutters on only a portion of the house so in that case you would use both styles of clips to decorate.
Safety
I can’t stress enough about safety. Christmas time is supposed to be a time that you spend with your family and friends. The last thing you need is to get injured while putting up your lights. Be careful if you have to get on your roof or climb a tall ladder to hang your lights. If you are having any reservations about installing lights, then hire a professional. Many landscape companies today install outdoor christmas lights to keep their employees busy during the slow part of the year. Letting a professional do the job could end up saving you some money in the long run.
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What are LED Outdoor Christmas Lights?
I’m sure by now you have probably heard of LED lights. LED stands for light-emitting-diode. They have been used as indicator lamps in many devices such as TV’s and DVD players for years and just recently are being implemented in new ways into lights of all kinds. One of the more popular ways LED’s are being used is Christmas lighting. It seemed to be all the rage this last holiday season. We are seeing a major shift in the Christmas light bulb industry going to LED lights which is a huge plus for the end user.
I know we have all been there when we were kids. Your helping your parents pull out the outdoor Christmas lights out of the attic so you can get them mounted on the house. You spend all day Saturday working on your project to find out that they won’t turn on. Not anymore. LED lights are changing the way we do things.
First and foremost, LED lights are much safer than conventional lighting. They don’t put off the heat that older lights do so there is less risk of injury due to a fire hazard. Also, they use only a fraction of the energy that incandescent bulbs used. With todays risings energy costs, saving money anywhere we can is a huge plus. LED lights use about 90% less electricity than regular lights.
Not only do they use less electricity, they have a much longer life span. LED lights on average last 20-30 times longer than conventional light bulbs. This is the reason your upfront costs are going to be more.As LED lights become more popular, you will see the prices start to drop. They have so many advantages over regular bulbs which drives up their price but over their lifespan you will have a lot less frustration. They will probably save you a trip to the local box store every year for new lights.
Outdoor Christmas Lights are notorious for breaking as your pulling them out of the box every year. The reason for this is the bulbs are made from glass. LED light bulbs are made from plastic so its a lot harder to break the bulbs. This is a huge plus especially for those people who put up a lot of lights every year. Using plastic bulbs vs. glass is also a lot safer especially if the kiddo’s are helping you put the lights up. There is less risk of injury due to a broken bulb.
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