Home decor · Seasonal decor safety

Six checks before hanging decorative string lights

Check indoor/outdoor ratings, cord damage, electrical loading and switch-off routines.

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Leon Brooks / Wikimedia Commons · Leon Brooks, Light string with bow.jpg, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons; original unmodified. · Public domain (author release / PD-author) ↗

Decorative light strings can brighten a room, but damaged wiring and overloaded outlets raise fire and shock risks. These checks draw on US CPSC and Electrical Safety Foundation International guidance. Follow your country's product-certification and electrical-installation rules.

Your try-it-at-home checklist

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Unplug the string before inspecting certification marks and the instruction label.
Do not install or energize lights with cracked sockets, frayed insulation or loose connections; replace damaged sets.
Use outdoor-rated lights outside and keep cables away from standing water and snow.
Check the manufacturer's limits for connecting strings and the rating of outlets and extension cords; do not daisy-chain extension cords.
Do not nail or staple through cables or pinch them in doors or windows. Keep decorations clear of heaters and flammable material.
Switch off decorative lights before sleeping or leaving home; use locally appropriate residual-current or ground-fault protection outdoors.

Electrical Safety Foundation InternationalPrevent Holiday Fires With Tips From ESFI ↗Confirmed inspect frayed wires and cracked sockets, indoor/outdoor labeling, do not overload outlets, and turn off lighting before sleep or leaving.Electrical Safety Foundation InternationalOutdoor Decoration Safety Tips ↗Verified outdoor-rated cables, weather/water avoidance, no piercing wire insulation, power rating and ground-fault protection.U.S. Consumer Product Safety CommissionSeasonal Lighting (Holiday Lights and Decorative Outfits) ↗CPSC identifies hazardous decorative lighting without suitable conductor size, strain relief or overcurrent protection; US-specific regulation.

Your try-it-at-home checklist

Further reading

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