Utah business emphasizes the importance of safety when decorating trees for the holiday season

Salt Lake City, Utah – If you feel comfortable doing it yourself, make sure your electrical connections are as safe as possible, even if hiring a professional to install your outdoor lights is advised.

Jason Stroup, the lead installer for Christmas Light Professionals, was strung holiday lights on the trees at Taylorsville City Hall.

“There are a few tips to help you install your own lights: make sure everything is sealed and use electrical tape on the outside connections to prevent water intrusion,” Stroup added.

Stroup said there isn’t much to worry about when it comes to using lights to decorate your Christmas tree because they are LED lights these days.

However, when we visited the M&T Christmas tree lot in Sandy, we talked to a customer who usually takes precautions.

Every year, Shelby Terry, a resident of Sandy, takes fire safety seriously when it comes to lighting.

“Every year, we purchase new lights because I’m constantly concerned that something will happen to those lights,” Terry explained. “We always make sure our tree is well watered because I know they can be a big fire hazard as well, and we always keep our tree far away from our fireplace because that makes me nervous too.”

Getting a second perspective from neighbors is an excellent way to find out what to watch out for, Stroup says.

Speak with your neighbors to find out who is in charge of their lighting. “Ask who does their lights if you like the way they look,” he said. “You should definitely confirm that the business has insurance and a license.”

Stroup added that there may come a time when it’s too late to decorate, even though the argument over when to take down holiday decorations is never settled.

It used to snow before Thanksgiving, which is usually before now, but as you can see, there isn’t a lot of snow on the ground right now, so we used to advise people to get their lights placed before it snows,” he said. “So, if you have been putting things off a bit, you still have a little time to get your lights up.”