Holiday Light Safety Tips

Deck the Halls, Not the ER: Holiday Light Safety Tips from Your Neighborhood Pros

There's nothing like pulling into the driveway on a December night and seeing your house all lit up. But before y'all drag the ladder out of the garage, here's something worth knowing: the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates about 160 holiday decorating injuries happen every day during the season, and nearly half of them are falls. In one recent season, around 14,900 people ended up in the emergency room from decorating.

We're the roofers and licensed electricians serving Galveston County and south Houston, so ladders, rooflines and wiring are what we do every day. Here are the holiday light safety tips we'd give our own family before they hang a single strand.

1. Check your lights before they go up

• Plug each strand in on the ground first. Toss any with cracked sockets, frayed wires or loose connections.
• Only use lights marked for outdoor use outside. Indoor lights aren't built for our weather.
• Look for a safety certification mark, like UL or ETL, on the box or tag.

2. Don't overload your outlets

• The CPSC recommends connecting no more than three strands of old-style incandescent lights end to end.
• Plug outdoor lights into an outlet with GFCI protection (the kind with "test" and "reset" buttons). It shuts the power off fast if water gets where it shouldn't.
• Use outdoor-rated extension cords, and keep plug connections up off the ground and out of puddles.

3. Be smart on the ladder

• Set the ladder on firm, level ground. Never on a wet or soft spot.
• Keep three points of contact: two hands and a foot, or two feet and a hand.
• Don't stand on the top step, and don't lean way out. Climb down and move the ladder instead.
• Have someone hold the bottom. That's what neighbors and teenagers are for.
• Stay well clear of power lines running to the house.

4. Protect your roof while you decorate

• Use plastic light clips, not nails, staples or screws. Holes in your roof or gutters can turn into leaks long after the lights come down.
• Don't pry up shingles to slide clips underneath. That can break the seal that keeps wind and rain out.
• Stay off the roof when it's wet, windy or covered in morning dew. Shingles get slick fast.

5. Plan for Gulf Coast weather

• Our wind can whip loose strands around, so fasten them every foot or so.
• Salty, humid air is hard on plugs and connections. Check them for rust or corrosion each year.
• Put your lights on a timer, and turn them off when you leave home or head to bed.

Holiday light questions we hear a lot

Can I use indoor Christmas lights outside?

No. Indoor lights aren't made to handle rain, humidity and wind. Use lights labeled for outdoor use.

How many strands of lights can I connect together?

For old-style incandescent lights, the CPSC says no more than three. Many LED strands allow more, so check the box for the maximum.

Is it OK to staple or nail lights to my roof?

No. Nails and staples leave holes that can leak later. Plastic light clips hold just as well and come off clean.

Why do my outdoor lights keep tripping the outlet?

Usually water is reaching a plug or a damaged strand, and the GFCI outlet is doing its job. Dry and check your connections. If it keeps happening, have a licensed electrician take a look.

Need a hand before the lights go up?

If your outdoor outlets keep tripping, don't have GFCI protection, or you're not sure your roof is in shape for a season of decorating, our licensed electricians and professional roofers can take a look. It's a lot easier to fix a worn outlet or a loose shingle now than in the middle of the holidays.

Give us a call at (409) 945-7202. Family owned since 1976, and always on the way.

Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, holiday safety release (2025)