Tricks for Treat-Safe Wiring: Electrical Safety for Fall Decor & Shorter Days
Between string lights on the porch, extension cords snaking to the yard display and candlelit jack-o'-lanterns on the step, October puts more electrical connections outside than almost any other month. A few small habits can keep the holiday festive instead of hazardous.
Decorating Outdoors
- Use only extension cords and lights rated for outdoor use.
- Keep cords off wet grass and away from puddles or downspouts where water pools.
- Don't overload a single outlet, and skip daisy-chaining extension cords together.
- Inspect strings of lights each year for frayed wires or cracked sockets.
- Swap real candles in jack-o'-lanterns for battery-operated LED tea lights, especially near dry leaves or hay bales.
As the Days Get Shorter
Clocks fall back on November 1, bringing darkness earlier. It's a good time for a quick safety walk-through of your home: Check that porch and walkway lights are working. Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors while you're changing the clocks, and make sure space heaters have at least 3 feet of clearance from anything that can burn. As always, plug space heaters directly into an outlet rather than an extension cord or power strip.
Around the Neighborhood
If trick-or-treaters will be out near your property, take a moment to look up. Low-hanging decorations and cords strung near power lines or meters create a hazard that's easy to disregard in the excitement of the season. If you spot a downed line, damaged pole, or sparking equipment, keep everyone well back and call PenLight right away.
Have a safe, well-lit October from all of us at PenLight.