Thousands and thousands of Americans will deck the halls for the upcoming holiday season, but every yr Mother Nature threatens to play the role of Grinch with outdoor displays.
From abnormally warm temperatures to rain showers, the impacts of hostile weather can affect every aspect from illumination to cutting off electricity needed to power the lights.
The U.S. Department of Energy reports American consumers are switching from incandescent to more energy-efficient LED bulbs, however the change does mean homeowners will likely be immune from issues.
A typical problem seen during wet weather events is the tripping of a house’s ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), which mechanically ends the facility supply to any strands plugged into the outlet.
The experts at ChristmasDesigners.com say the GFCIs are in place to stop electrocutions, however the features will be temperamental and an intrusion as small as moisture could cause your complete light display to go dark.
To reduce the prospect of a tripping, it’s suggested electric cords be in good working condition, electric outlets have protective bubble covers and lights are as high and dry as possible.
Experts suggest using Christmas lights with an Ingress Protection rating of not less than 65.
An IP rating is an ordinary used to rate an item’s protection against any foreign objects and liquid.
A IP65 rating is taken into account sufficient enough to guard against most dust and water intrusion.
A weather phenomenon that the southern tier of the country will not be proof against is the potential for warm temperatures.
Studies have shown that LEDs can perform higher under cooler air temperatures than during warmer conditions.
The staff at LED Lights Unlimited said the colder air can put less stress on bulbs, making them last more, and their high intensity will make any display more sparkling.
More modern LEDs seem like higher in a position to handle temperature extremes than incandescent lights.
If it isn’t the rain or temperatures causing issues, sometimes the wind can play havoc with decorations.
When the forecast calls for either breezy or windy conditions, objects that aren’t properly secured can easily be pushed around and find yourself being blown down the road.
The experts at Christmas Central have several suggestions to maintain those giant inflatables from flying away.
The vacation experts suggest using stakes, sandbags and even twine to maintain the blow up figures in place and these techniques normally work so long as winds don’t reach severe status.
But for those who want guaranteed success, you may must temporarily store the vacation decorations until the threat of great wind passes.