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How to Hang Christmas Lights Like a Pro

How do you go about hanging your Christmas lights each year? Is it a haphazard task filled with frustration? Or an enjoyable undertaking that you share with your family? If frustration overshadows any festive feelings, chances are you’re approaching your Oakville Christmas lighting project in entirely the wrong way. If you’re determined to decorate the exterior of your home without assistance, at least take the time to brush up on some tried and true tricks of the holiday lighting trade. The following is some important advice from our very own Oakville Christmas lighting experts.

Expert Tip #1 – Always Measure
Our professional light installers always, always have a tape measure at the ready. How else would they be able to accurately determine how many strands of lights will be needed to outfit your property? In order to get true measurements, our Oakville Christmas lighting experts recommend that you start by measuring at the base of the house, following along any turns and corners. If you’re going to outline windows and doors, be sure to measure their frames closely in order to ensure a clean finish. Carefully climb to the top of your roof to measure ridges and peaks.

Expert Tip #2 – Assess Your Materials
You’ll want to make sure that you have a few basic materials on hand when planning your Oakville Christmas lighting arrangement. This includes Christmas lights, Christmas light clips, timers and controls for your system, and replacement bulbs.

Expert Tip #3 – See How Things Are Hanging
Where are you planning to hang your Oakville Christmas lights? Lights can be strung from rooflines, gutters and shingles. However, each surface will require a different form of Christmas light hook. Make sure that you have the proper clips for the surface that you’ll be working with.

Expert Tip #4 – Find Your Power Sources
This is a crucial step. Failure to locate outlets prior to hanging your lights and you could very well find yourself tearing them all down and starting from scratch. While most new homes are equipped with ample exterior outlets, older homes may not have the luxury. As such, you may have to run a power cord through a window in order to access an internal outlet.

Expert Tip #5 – Calculate Your Wattage
Our Oakville Christmas lighting experts calculate wattage to prevent circuit failures and blown fuses. The easiest way to determine wattage is to multiply the wattage of the bulbs by the number of sockets, and then divide that total by 115. This will provide you with the total number of amps. This number must be less than 10% of the total amps the wire is rated for.

Expert Tip #6 – Safety First
When it comes time to string your lights, make sure that you’re doing it a manner that is safe and secure. Use the proper sized ladder and safety harnesses to ensure that you’re safety isn’t at risk.

Avoid the hassle of hanging Christmas lights entirely – contact Christmas Décor to book your professional holiday lighting installation appointment today.


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