It’s time to deck the halls, set up the tree and don the twinkly lights around the home as December gets underway.
Traditionally, mid-December was the time for decorating, but each year we’re decorating our homes earlier for the festive season, especially with Christmas lights.
Ranging from modest displays to show stopping set ups across the country, lights are a focal point of most Christmas decorating designs in homes across Ireland.
Irish lighting experts Solus have provided some top tips to help your festive display dazzle in the safest and most energy efficient way.
1. Safety first. A&E departments are filled with homeowners who lose fights with their Christmas lights, suffer electric shocks or cause fire hazzards. Take extra care over the Christmas period with any festive light displays.
2. Don’t turn on the Christmas lights during the day, it is a waste of energy and electricity and no one can really enjoy looking at the lights during the day.
3. Tree lights on – room lights off: When the tree is lit, there is no need to have other lights on. Save energy & enhance the festive atmosphere.
4. Use timers: You can buy timers for electric lights that plug into a socket, and then you plug your lights into them and set the timer to come on and off.
5. Don’t overload. Never overload an extension lead by plugging in appliances that together will exceed the maximum current rating stated for the extension lead. This could cause the plug in the wall socket to overheat and possibly cause a fire.
6. Never leave lights turned on while unattended. Always turn off the lights before you leave the house and when going to bed.
7. Store Christmas lights in a ball. It sounds counterintuitive, but the best way to store lights is to ball them up. Wrap five times in one direction, then turn the ball 90 degrees and repeat. Store your light balls in cardboard boxes, rather than in plastic bags: Cardboard absorbs residual moisture and extends the life of your lights.
Solus is a proud Irish company with over 80 years and has been at the forefront of technology and lighting in Irish homes since electricity was first introduced in 1935.
