We hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving break and enjoyed time with family and friends! I started my Christmas decorating over the weekend, which is always one of my favorite things to do (taking them down is another story). Our Electrical Services manager, Rodney, has some tips to share today about the Merry and the Scary of Christmas decorating:
Merry:
– Extension cords that are inspected before use, and have the newer style, thicker wire.
– Timers that save electricity by shutting your decorations off automatically during the day and late at night.
– Outdoor lights plugged into GFCI receptacles. Those are the ones with the little emergency button at the top, like you see in bathrooms or kitchens.
Scary:
– Old extension cords with thin wire, loose prongs, or other signs of overuse and damage -replace them!
– Overloaded receptacles and breakers. Use surge protectors if multiple cords will be going to a receptacle, and redistribute your lights if the breakers keep tripping. If redistribution doesn’t solve the problem, call the Oliver experts at 484-477-0461 for additional help.
– Outdoor timers that are exposed to the elements. Wrap plastic bags around them to prevent them tripping your GFCI receptacles when the weather gets wet!