The Canadian Press
The home of Michael Conlon, located in Saugus, Mass, is decorated with approximately
85,000 lights. Holiday lights can be dangerous if not used properly
Stay safe with a light hotline
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Published Saturday December 15th, 2007
Tip No. 1 from the Ulta-Lit holiday hotline: Don't call from your roof.
It's happened more than once to the lighting professionals at 1-888-ULTA-LIT, who are there to give expert advice on repairing indoor and outdoor lights, pre-lit trees, wire-framed yard art and other holiday hazards.
"Once I got a call from a man who was on his roof trying to talk to me on his cordless phone. It was frustrating because he was out of range," says Ulta-Lit Tree company president John DeCosmo. "I also had a call from a woman who was the go-between for me and her husband, who was on their chimney."
The hotline was started 12 years ago to help customers who were left in the dark.
According to SilentCall, a company that developed alert products, at least 8,700 people a year are injured by holiday lights, decorations and Christmas trees.
Here are a few pointers from HomeTips.com for hanging Christmas lights:
* Use light strings that have a male plug at one end and a female receptacle at the other end and plug them together from end to end. This makes them easier to route.
* In the case of mini-lights, short, 50-light strings are often a better bet than longer 100-, 150-, or 200-light strings because you can easily unplug and replace a defective string.
* For outdoor lights, choose lights that are approved.
* Indoor lights should only be used indoors.
Stay safe with a light hotline.
