How To Hang Christmas Lights : Tips, Tricks and Hacks
It's the time of year for holiday decorating - but do you know how to hang Christmas lights properly? We give you all the tips and tricks for hanging Christmas lights.
How To Hang Christmas Lights: Test Lights Beforehand
The very first thing to do after you unroll those lights is to make sure they work. The last thing you want to have happened is to notice too late that a bunch of the lights you have just hung don't work. Plug in all the light strands to each other and to the power source and make sure they light up properly. Check for dud bulbs that could turn off the entire strand.
ifixit.com created a manual guide for fixing Christmas lights. They detailed how to replace broken bulbs. They said,
"If a specific section of the lights isn't working, there might be a bad bulb, or a bad connection between the bulb and the socket.
Bulbs are generally made to not break the whole chain if the bulb burns out, but sometimes a manufacturing defect will prevent the bulbs from maintaining the electrical connection for the rest of the lights.
Gently grasp each bulb, and pull away from the socket. Inspect it and ensure that the two bulb copper leads are in their proper location, and not twisted or missing.
How To Hang Christmas Lights: Measure
A critical step for your success in hanging Christmas lights is to measure beforehand. Measure the length of your home, (taking into account windows and doorways) and compare that against the length of lights you have.
Use a measuring tape for accurate measurement. This is also a good chance to map out and plan where you want which lights to go on the house. If you take the time to determine that beforehand, you will save yourself the trouble of running out of a color or strand of lights right where you need it.
Make sure to add the added length of going around doors, windows, and wrapping if you're going to be wrapping lights around a pole or railing.
How To Hang Christmas Lights: The Type of Bulb Matters
Before hanging Christmas lights you'll want to take into account what type of bulbs you prefer. LED lights have more of a blueish tint and can stand more strands together. Incandescent lights have more of a yellow tint and are limited in the number of light strands that can go together. Not all white lights will be created equally. If you're buying multiple strands make sure they are the same type of bulb and general color of light so that all the light is cohesive.
How To Hang Christmas Lights Hacks:
Hanging Pole
If you're wanting to hang outdoor Christmas lights, a hanging pole is your best Christmas light hack out there! This extension pole is a great tool for hanging lights especially in extra high or hard to reach places. It can potentially save you a trip up the ladder!
Light Clips
Light clips are Christmas hanging lights 101. Using light clips allows you to hang lights on the exterior of your home. You can use clips to hang lights on gutters or even roof shingles.
Outdoor Extension Cords
Outdoor extension cords will be a must if you're installing any good amounts of lighting for the holidays. A stake outlet extender like this one can also be very useful.
Outdoor Timer
Using an outdoor light timer helps you save on trouble and electricity. It saves you the trouble of turning off all your lights every night and saves energy overall. Find an outdoor timer here
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