Whether you're creating a winter wonderland in your yard or you simply want to jazz up the interior of your home, the right lighting is essential for a festive look.
For advice on how to light up your holiday haven, follow these simple tips from The Home Depot Canada: Planning Think about your overall decorating objectives - is it Griswold or subtle? Measure the areas where you want to hang your lights to ensure you have enough strands for proper coverage. Also, consider your style preferences, budget and the time you have to dedicate to the project.
Outdoor Lighting Separate larger-scale projects into different zones based on the location of electrical outlets. Remember where the outlets are when planning the number of strands of lights. The majority of lights are both indoor and outdoor compatible, but outdoor lights are optimized to endure harsh weather while maintaining safe electrical connections.
Types and Styles While traditional incandescent holiday lights are still popular, technological advances have dramatically improved the selection of LED lights. These lights offer many advantages over incandescent lights, including: A lifespan up to 20 times longer; Less power usage; More durable and cool to the touch; More strands can be connected together on one outlet or extension cord.
Installation and Safety Be careful not to overload electrical outlets or extension cords. Test your lights to ensure they are working and inspect all cords prior to installation. Immediately dispose of any lights or cords that show signs of damage or wear.
Remember to always unplug lights when leaving the house or going to sleep. Automatic light timers can be used to control your lights at specific times of day.
Storage Allow light sets that have been outdoors in wet weather to dry out before placing them in storage. Avoid keeping lights in attics or basements where the amount of moisture fluctuates during the year. If you don't have a spool, try loosely wrapping them around a sturdy cardboard sheet or tube, to avoid putting strain on the wires.
More helpful hints on brightening the holidays are available at www.homedepot.ca or at a store near you.
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