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Follow these easy steps to become the talk of the
neighborhood, just like Clark Griswold!
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Step 1 : Have the Right Equipment
You will need:
Christmas Lights
Times and Controllers
Christmas Light Clips
Ladder
Step 2 : Measure First
The professionals always measure. Start by measuring the
base of the house, going along any turns and corners. Measure doors and
door frames, window frames, and any columns that will be lit. If hanging
Christmas lights on peeks, climb carefully up a ladder and measure
along the area of peak to be decorated.
Step 3 : Evaluate Hanging Surfaces
Begin by studying the roofline, gutters, and shingles. Christmas
lights can be installed on any of these surfaces, but there are specific
clips for each type of surface. Inspect how thick the gutter lip is,
and how loose or tight the shingles on the roof are. Do the gutters get
in the way of the shingles?
Locate power sources. Measure how many feet of power
cord will be required to extend from the power source to the beginning
of the roofline.
Step 4 : Choose the Right Lights for Your Job
Purchasing bulbs and stringers separately has many advantages,
including better selection in wire color, easy replacements of bad
bulbs, and ability to change out bulb colors each season. For large or
custom lighting projects, purchase a spool and cut wire as needed,
keeping in mind that a shorter runs of lights is easier to handle when
perched on a ladder.
Step 5 : Calculate Power Wattage
Lighting professionals calculate power wattage to prevent overloading the circuit or blowing a fuse. To determine wattage
multiply the wattage of the bulb by the number of sockets, and divide
by 115 to reach total amps. For example, 5 watt bulbs x 125 sockets /
115 = 5.43 amps. The total amps must be less than 10% of the total amps
the wire is rated for.
Step 6 : Chooses the Right Christmas Light Clip
Choosing the best clips
for the project is key. There is a large selection of clips for every
application in hanging Christmas lights, whether hanging Christmas
lights from gutters, high peaks, flat roof tops, siding, paint, or
brick. Study which clips will work best with the roofline, shingles, or
gutters, and pay attention to which bulb sockets will fit in each clip.
All-in-one clips are a great pick because they work with the largest
variety of bulbs and applications. It's usually better to attach Christmas lights to the clips on the
ground, climbing carefully up the ladder with only one string of lights
at a time. Take caution not to let bulbs hit the ladder or walls while
climbing on the ladder to prevent bulbs getting broken during
installation.
Step 7 : Stand Back and Enjoy!
