The most exciting part of the holiday season is decorating your place for the joy and festivities. However, you can end up making a lot of common holiday lighting mistakes. And let me remind you ‘tis the season to be jolly and not worry about the financial and safety hazards of your DIY lighting project. You are also at risk of ending up with less-than-stellar displays. So, the first rule of adoring your home is to make sure you avoid these outdoor lighting mistakes. Read along to find out how you can possibly keep them at bay!
What are the Common Holiday Lighting Mistakes?
Decorating your property is surely a joyful process. However, it is also important to make sure that you are safe from safety hazards, increased costs, and lousy looking displays. Here are the mistakes you need to prevent doing these holiday lighting mistakes when adorning your home or business.
1. Not Having a Proper Plan
One of the most common Christmas lighting mistakes is not having a proper plan before you start decorating. After all, without a clear layout, you risk uneven lighting, wasted materials, and a chaotic appearance. And clearly none of us is going for that look, right? So, take the time to map out a proper plan. This includes sketching out your design, considering focal points and how the lights will complement your home’s architecture.
Solution: Have a well-thought-out plan that covers all the steps of lighting installation, from design to installation. This will save you a lot of time and energy, and you’ll be able to use your lights efficiently.
2. Choosing Wrong Type of lights
This can really impact your display’s effectiveness and safety. For instance, using indoor lights outdoors can lead to electrical hazards, while incandescent bulbs consume more energy than LED options. Moreover, your choice also depends on your vision and property’s exterior design. Additionally, mismatched colors or styles can create a non-cohesive look. This is why you have to choose the type of lights for your display smartly.
Solution: Research different lighting options and select those that are specifically designed for your intended use. Planning your color scheme in advance can also help create a cohesive look.
3. Poor design and aesthetic choices
This is another one of the common mistakes. Making poor design and aesthetic choices can detract from the beauty of your holiday lighting display. These include the following:
- Clashing colors
- Haphazard arrangements
- Overwhelming amounts of lights
Having any one of these or all in your display can create a chaotic and unappealing look. It’s essential to consider your home’s architecture and the surrounding landscape when considering holiday lighting installation.
Solution: Take time to plan a balanced color scheme and layout that complements your home or storefront. Consider using design tools or take inspiration from online resources to guide your choices.
4. Poor installation techniques
Most people think DIY installation is easy, but this is among the most common Christmas installation mistakes you can come across. After all, improper installation can result in a range of mistakes. First of all, failing to secure lights properly can result in them falling or becoming tangled. Besides, using inappropriate fasteners may cause damage to your home’s exterior. Additionally, improper placement can create uneven lighting or obstruct views. At LightDMV, our expert team makes sure every strand is securely installed and the overall display looks elegant.
Solution: Appropriate clips and fasteners designed for outdoor lighting, and ensure all lights are securely attached. Create a cohesive, well-balanced lighting evenly for a polished look. Even better: hire professionals for the job.
5. Overlooking Safety Measures
Not paying attention to safety precautions when installing holiday lights can lead to serious accidents and hazards. These are the common outdoor lighting mistakes that people end up committing:
- Failing to use outdoor-rated lights
- Ignoring frayed wires
- Overloading circuits
All of these can increase the risk of electrical fires or shocks. Also, neglecting to secure ladders properly while hanging lights can result in falls. Remember, safety should be your top priority when installing holiday lighting.
Solution: Always take the necessary safety measures to prevent damage and safety-related mishaps. You can also use a buddy system when working at heights.
6. Neglecting power source planning
Most people don’t know this but this is one of the most common residential and commercial holiday lighting mistakes. After all, this leads to unsafe holiday lighting displays. Plus, it’ll leave you feeling frustrated. Moreover, if you fail to assess the available outlets and use inadequate extension cords, you’ll end up with blown fuses or tripped breakers. Plus, overloading a single outlet can create fire hazards. Therefore, properly plan your power sources to make sure that your lights operate efficiently.
Solution: Thoroughly map out your power sources before installation and use heavy-duty extension cords rated for outdoor use. Also, you should distribute the load evenly across multiple outlets.
7. Maintenance and storage mistakes
These are also one of the mistakes to avoid before holiday lighting. This is so because they can significantly impact the lifespan and appearance of your festive display. When setting up lighting displays, many people overlook checking for damaged bulbs or frayed wires before installation. This can lead to safety hazards and a lackluster display. Another mistake people make is tossing lights into a box without care. This can cause tangling and breakage.
Solution: Inspect lights for damage after the season is over and store them neatly in labeled containers. Use clips or reels to prevent tangling and prolong their lifespan.
8. Using Indoor Lights for Outdoor Displays
This is another one that people don’t know but is one of the most common outdoor lighting mistakes. After all, you can’t just use interior lights of an outdoor décor. And no, it’s not a matter of aesthetics and disappointing results. In fact, this can lead to safety hazards and disappointing results. You should know that indoor lights are not designed to withstand the external elements. Therefore, they are susceptible to damage from moisture, wind, and temperature fluctuations. Hanging these lights for outdoor décor can lead to short circuits, electrical fires, or burnt-out bulbs. Additionally, they may not be bright enough to make a vibrant outdoor lighting display.
Solution: Always choose lights specifically labeled for outdoor use to avoid these indoor holiday lighting mistakes. Besides, outdoor lights are weather-resistant and safe for external conditions.
9. Forgetting to Check Your Lights Before Installation
Many people assume that once the lights are up, they will work perfectly throughout the season. They don’t even bother to check their functionality and efficiently after installation. This is one of the most common Christmas lighting mistakes people make post installation. After all, bulbs can burn out, connections can loosen, and weather conditions can cause malfunctions. This oversight may result in dark patches or flickering lights, detracting from the overall aesthetic.
Solution: After installing the outdoor lights, take the time to test all lights and connections. Regularly inspect your display throughout the season to ensure everything remains in working order.
Is Hanging Holiday Lights a DIY Project?
Yes, you can DIY your outdoor holiday décor but it can be a lot of safety risk. Besides, not being able to achieve your vision will result in frustration and disappointment. So, it is always better to hire professionals for the job. This will save you a lot of time and hassle, as well as reduce stress. When it comes to hanging Christmas lights, you can always trust us. We provide exceptional custom designs and ensure safety throughout the installation process. Other than this, we can also take down the lights after the holiday season is over. With us, you can easily tackle the above outdoor lighting mistakes and make your property shine bright like a diamond.
Conclusion
Outdoor Christmas lights are an essential part of the Holiday décor. This is so because they bring fun and festivities to your celebrations. Whether it’s your home or business, an elegant lighting display can surely amp up the holiday vibes for you. To hang your lights, you can either hire a professional team or go for DIY. Well, in both cases, make sure you avoid the above holiday lighting mis-steps. You should have a proper plan, choose the right type of lighting, consider safety measures, as well as power sourcing before installation. Also, double check the efficiency of your installed lighting display to see if any strand needs maintenance. And lastly, store your lights properly so you can easily use them for the next holiday season too.
