Happy Holidays from your Tucson electrician of choice Sharp Electric! We hope that however you celebrate, you are spending time with those who you love.

This year, we have traded our Christmas saguaros in Tucson AZ for Christmas pines up in Flagstaff. As we put the final touches on our Christmas decorations at the in-laws house, we thought we’d share a few tips regarding how to safely deck your halls and home for the holiday season.

1. String lights

Whether you prefer classic white string lights or lights with pops of vibrant colors, our philosophy at Sharp is that more is always better. But when decorating your home, inside or out, with string lights it is important to read how many strings of lights you can safely connect. This info can be found on the front or back of the light packaging.

2. Christmas Trees & Fireplaces

What is more cozy than a blazing fireplace and a sparkling tree during the holidays? In order to keep your home safe and keep your oh tannenbaum vibe from becoming an oh no! tannenbaum moment, your preferred Tucson electrician recommended that you keep your tree (artificial or real) at least 4 feet away from your fireplace.

3. Outdoor Lighting Safety

While we think snow is magical and enjoy the refreshing cool winter temperatures, your outdoor lighting and holiday decorations may not agree. Snow, frost and unprotected electricity will not create the serene winter wonderland you were hoping for; you’ll most likely end up with a much more shocking experience.

So, when you are creating your own winter wonderland it is important to make sure that all of your outdoor outlets are GFCI protected. For those of you who don’t speak electrician GFCI stands for ground-fault circuit interrupter. It’s job is to monitor the flow of electricity and de-energize the outlet when it senses a loss of current. Using GFCI protected outlets will help to ensure your safety when your wiring is exposed to the elements; this includes snow, frost and moisture. It also keeps you safe if physical damage occurs to your wiring; like when your father-in-law trips over the wiring when walking around the garden.

We hope you found these tips by your Tucson electrician helpful.

Until the New Year, friends.