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Lighten up safely this Christmas

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Lighten up safely this Christmas

Christmas is not far away and you may be thinking of putting up the Christmas tree and lighting up your home and garden with impressive Christmas decorations. Without wanting to dampen the Christmas spirit, Hornsby Electric would like to remind our customers to take care decorating your home and avoid any risk of electrical danger. Follow these helpful tips to ensure your Christmas is a safe and peaceful time of year for your family.

Christmas Tree and Indoor lights

  • Ensure your tree is positioned with space around it so it’s not touching curtains, couches or anything else.
  • Start decorating your tree with the lights first, followed by the other decorations. It’s a good idea to keep the decorations clear of (not touching) the Christmas lights or power sockets.
  • Check your indoor lights to see if they are Australian safety compliant, many lights imported from overseas and bought online may not be.
  • Follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
  • Turn them off before leaving the house or going to sleep.
  • Keep them out of reach of children or explain to them not to touch them.
  • Check your electrical switchboard to make sure all lights connected to powerpoints have a safety switch. If not, get in contact with your local electrician to have one installed to give you the peace of mind you are safe from electrical danger this festive season.

Outdoor lights and decorations

  • Indoor lights are not safe to use outside, even in covered areas, so always use outdoor lights outdoors. They meet additional safety standards.
  • Outdoor Christmas lights have an IP rating which indicates how weatherproof the light is. Outdoor lighting must have a rating of least IP23.
  • The best outdoor lighting are solar powered lights, LED or extra-low-voltage lights (12V or 24V). They are the safest options to prevent electric shock and prevent fires from over-heating.
  • If you have extensive lighting displays, ask your local electrician to install additional outdoor power points, to avoid overloading existing circuits.

Based in Hornsby, the North Shore, Castle Hill or surrounds and need a local electrician? Call us today on 9477 2550.