If you’ve ever seen “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” you’ll know that Clark Griswold’s perception of Christmas decorating is a bit extreme.  Although that movie is comical, in reality electrical safety is no laughing matter, and an electrical fire can ruin your holidays instantly.  Here are a few holiday decorating safety tips.

The most dangerous time of the year for electrical fires in Des Moines is undoubtedly during the holiday season. Christmas decorations, in particular, lead to a dizzying amount of house fires each year. On average, over 200 homes burn down each year directly because of Christmas Trees and other decorations, and this figure doesn’t include the small, contained fires and those caused by candles. Needless to say, safety should be a major priority when planning out and putting up your holiday decorations.

Many electrical problems are caused by outdated technology and old incandescent Christmas lights; when you start digging out your decorations, ask yourself if it is time for an upgrade. While more expensive, modern LED Christmas lights use far less power, generate less heat, almost never require bulb replacements, and last far longer than their incandescent ancestors and inexpensive alternatives. In terms of cost alone, the new lights will likely pay for themselves in energy savings after only one, maybe two, holiday season(s).

For instance, running 1,000 incandescent Christmas lights for a month in Iowa will likely cost about $122, whereas the same amount in LED bulbs (which shine brighter, by the way) will cost less than $1.50. That extra $120 can go a long way towards buying a few better presents or do some real good in the community. By upgrading your lights this holiday season, you’re ensuring that you don’t have to hike up your energy bill to decorate the house each year while keeping the family much safer than they would be with your old lights.

For any strand you choose to not upgrade this year, be sure to thoroughly check each strand for frayed wires or cracked bulbs. Incandescent bulbs can easily create a completed electrical circuit with a Christmas Tree, gutter, or just about anything else it may be hung upon, creating a very real fire hazard.

If you decide to get out the extra-tall ladder that you seem to only use to decorate and un-decorate the house each year, take special care to avoid power lines. One of the easiest ways to get injured when using a tall ladder isn’t actually from falling, but from electrocution while moving the ladder. Take the time to locate all power lines before beginning work and always get down and collapse the ladder before moving anywhere around power lines.

No carpeting, drapes, curtains, or other fabrics should ever come into contact with your lights. Furthermore, be sure to never wrap cloth-like decorations around your lights. The mesh commonly found at holiday stores is made for wreathing and often contains metallic elements for a shimmering effect, making it especially potent at conducting electricity and starting fires in the event of a short.

We hope you’re safe this holiday season, but if you happen to overload your circuit breakers or have a concern about the lighting of your holiday decorations, be sure to give us a call right away. The electricians at Electrical Gurus want to help to keep every Des Moines family happy and healthy throughout the holiday season.

Although a lot of people know what surge protection is, some people don't have the slightest clue. This article will explain what surge protection is and help you understand why it's important.

What Exactly Is Surge Protection?

Surge protection is what protects your electronic devices and appliances from spikes in electrical voltage. A surge protector will basically limit the amount of electric voltage that is allowed to reach the electronic device or appliance by blocking or grounding unwanted voltages.

Different Types of Surge Protectors

Surge protectors come in two different forms. You are probably pretty familiar with a power strip surge protector, but there is another popular type of surge protector that is designed for your circuit breaker panel. When selecting a surge protector, make sure that you chose a higher level of joules. This is because you have more protection as you enter the higher numbers of joules.

Benefits of Surge Protection

When it come to surge protection, there are an abundance of benefits, including the following:

Additional Outlets – First off, if you use a power strip surge protector, you are provided with a number of additional outlets that you can use to plug in more devices and/or appliances into a single outlet. Saves Energy – Also with the power strip, you can save on energy usage. This is because there is an on/off switch on the power strip that allows you to switch off all plugged-in devices so that they are pulling electricity when they are not being used. Protects Devices – If there is a major storm in the area, then a surge protector (for the circuit or the power strip type) can help keep plugged-in devices and appliances from shorting out should there be an excessive amount of voltage being transmitted or a power surge, such as from a lightning strike. Increased Warranties – As a general rule, if you have your electronic items plugged into a surge protector and they are damaged despite the protection that the surge protector should have offered, your device or appliance will typically be replaced.

One of the easiest ways to dress up your space and update the style is by changing your chandelier. Before you run out the door in search of the perfect chandelier, make sure you know the dimensions of your space. An appropriately sized chandelier should serve as a beautifying focal point that fits seamlessly into your overall design scheme.

For a room without furniture: Add the length and width of your room in feet, and then convert that number to inches. For example, a room that is 12 feet by 14 feet (12 + 14 = 26) would require a chandelier this is approximately 26 inches wide.

For a room with furniture: If you already have a dining room table in the space, the width of your chandelier should be about a foot smaller than the width of your table. This will leave a 6-inch clearance from the outer edge of the chandelier to the table’s edge.

The bottom of your chandelier should rest at least 30-34 inches above the tabletop. Adjust according to personal preference, fixture style and ceiling height. It is okay to hang your chandelier a bit higher in dining rooms with cathedral ceilings.

Chandelier height should be about three inches for each foot of ceiling height, so for a room with a standard 8-foot ceiling (3 x 8 = 24), choose a chandelier with an approximate height of 24 inches.

Give your home or office environment a lift with new white lighting designs.  Bring in clean sophistication and timeless style: White on white illumination is perfect for the holiday season!  See the latest floor lamps, table lamps, wall lighting, chandeliers and home decor in a hue that looks fresh year-round…

1.  “Around the World” floor lamp from Van Teal, a striking 77-inch tall decorative tripod composition

2.  “Atilius” table lamp from Uttermost, tailored and elegant in Gloss White glass on crystal foot with a double-backed rectangular box shade

3.  “Spago” mini pendant from Fredrick Ramond, an artistic handcrafted woven metal orb of “Cloud” white surrounding an opal-etched glass shade

4.  “Cove Neck” White outdoor wall light from Nuvo Lighting, a handsomely combined mix of Asian and American style with textured glass

5.  “Walker” table lamp from Chelsea House, a dynamic white ceramic with Silk Egg shade

6.  “Sancerre” chandelier from Golden Lighting, stately in a White Gold finish with strands of delicately draped crystal beads

7.  “2 Seventy Series” island light from Nuvo Lighting, frosted acrylic spirals encase energy-efficient LED

Lighten up on Black Friday with new white lighting designs, chandeliers, lamps and home decor.  Visit 1800lighting.com for the best and brightest ideas in home decorating and illumination for the holiday season.