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Brighten the Holidays with Safe Outdoor Lighting

Category: Holiday

Published: 03 Nov 2025

By Thomas, Owner of Thomas & Sons Electrical Contractors

Every December, right around the time people start putting up their Christmas lights, my phone starts buzzing. It's always the same kind of call — lights that stopped working, breakers that keep tripping, or an outlet that's suddenly hot to the touch.

This year was no different.

One cold morning in Charlotte, North Carolina, I got a message from a homeowner named Megan. She'd spent her whole weekend decorating her yard — lights in the trees, reindeer by the driveway, and a big "JOY" sign on her porch.

By Monday morning, half of it had gone dark. Her breaker had tripped three times, and the outlet on her porch felt warm.

When I got there, she smiled and said, kind of embarrassed, "I think I went a little overboard, Thomas."

1. The Problem

When I got to Megan's house, it didn't take long to figure out what was going on. Like a lot of people during the holidays, she had plugged everything into one outlet — the lights, the inflatable snowman, even a couple of long extension cords.

When I checked her breaker panel inside, I could see that one circuit was doing way too much work. That single outlet was powering more than it was ever meant to handle.

Warning Signs of Circuit Overload:

- Wires can overheat: The insulation can melt, which can lead to sparks or even fire.

- Circuits can short out: This causes the power to cut off suddenly or trip the breaker.

- Outlets can overheat: If an outlet feels warm or hot to the touch, that's a clear warning something's wrong.

2. The Process

Whenever I'm called to a home during the holidays, I follow one main rule — safety comes before sparkle. It doesn't matter how nice the lights look if they're overloading your system or putting your home at risk.

Step 1: Check Everything First

Before touching anything, we started by inspecting Megan's whole setup. Here's what we looked at:

- Outdoor outlets: We tested each one to make sure they were grounded properly and putting out the right voltage.

- Power load: We measured how much power each decoration was using to see which circuits were overloaded.

- Extension cords: Several of them weren't rated for outdoor use. The insulation was cracked from cold weather and moisture, which can easily cause shorts or sparks.

Step 2: Fixing the Setup

Once we knew what was wrong, we worked through everything step by step to make her lights safe again.

Our Solution Checklist:

✔ Split up the power:

- We spread out her decorations across multiple outlets instead of just one.

- I found outlets connected to different breakers and labeled them clearly so she’d know which ones to use next year.

✔ Install GFCI protection:

- Her porch outlet wasn’t a GFCI type — which is the kind that automatically shuts off if there’s water or an electrical fault.

- We replaced it with a proper outdoor-rated GFCI outlet for safety.

✔ Replace the wrong cords:

- The cords she used were meant for indoors only, which is dangerous outside.

- We swapped them out for heavy-duty, outdoor-rated cords with thicker insulation that can handle rain, cold, and higher power.

✔ Secure every connection:

- We lifted all plugs off the ground with clips and hooks.

- We added weatherproof outlet covers to keep water and debris out, preventing corrosion or shock risks.

3. The Outcome

By the time we finished, Megan's yard looked just as good as before — maybe even a little brighter.

We tested everything: the tree lights, the glowing reindeer, the "JOY" sign on the porch — and this time, her breaker didn't trip once. The lights stayed steady with no flickering and no outlets getting warm.

"It's brighter than before!"

— Megan

4. DIY & Maintenance Tips for Homeowners

If you're decorating your home this holiday season here in North or South Carolina, a few quick safety checks can save you a lot of trouble later. Here's what I always recommend to my customers:

🔍Check Everything Before You Hang It:

- Go through each string of lights before plugging them in.

- Look for frayed wires, cracked insulation, or missing bulbs — those are signs of wear that can cause shorts or sparks.

- If something looks damaged, replace it instead of trying to patch it. A small problem can easily lead to a bigger one.

🌧️Use Products Made for Outdoors:

- Make sure every light strand, plug, and cord says “For Outdoor Use.”

- Outdoor-rated products are built to handle rain, cold, and temperature changes safely.

- Indoor cords don’t have the same insulation and can easily crack or short out when exposed to moisture.

⚡Don't Overload Your Circuits:

- Stick to a simple rule: no more than three light strands per extension cord.

- Avoid connecting multiple power strips together — that’s one of the quickest ways to overload a circuit.

- If your breaker trips or lights flicker, that’s your sign to unplug a few things.

💧Keep All Connections Dry and Off the Ground:

- Keep plugs off the ground by using clips, hooks, or stakes.

- Add weatherproof outlet covers to protect connections from rain or snow.

- Never run cords through doors or windows — the edges can pinch them and cause damage you might not notice right away.

These small steps make a big difference. Most of the holiday electrical problems I see could be avoided by doing just these few things.

5. Professional Insight

After working in homes all over North and South Carolina, I've noticed that most electrical issues don't start with something big — they usually begin with something small.

Why These Steps Matter:

✔ Fire Prevention:

The insulation can melt, which can lead to sparks or even fire.

✔ Better Efficiency:

Properly running systems use less energy, saving money on your power bill.

✔ Fewer Repairs:

Avoiding short circuits means fewer expensive fixes down the road.

6. Closing Thoughts

When I left Megan's home that evening, her yard looked amazing — the reindeer were glowing, the big "JOY" sign was shining, and every strand of lights worked perfectly.

That's the part of my job I enjoy most: seeing families light up their homes knowing everything's safe and done right.

Before you start decorating this year. take a few minutes to check your cords, outlets, and connections. If anything feels off — like a hot outlet or lights that keep flickering — call a licensed electrician.

It's always better to be safe than sorry.

From all of us at Thomas & Sons Electrical Contractors, we wish you a safe, happy, and bright holiday season here in North and South Carolina.