No, you should not leave LED Christmas lights up all year. While the LED lights themselves are very durable, their wiring and casings can be as vulnerable as any Christmas lights. They’re subject to drying out, experiencing cold or sun damage that causes them to crack, and even damage caused by gnawing pests. (The same is true of incandescents.) If you want your lights to last the years that they’re rated for, bring them inside after Christmas is over.
You can take a few steps to prolong the life of your holiday lights. Make sure to replace burnt-out bulbs as quickly as possible to avoid overloading the rest of the circuit and knocking out more lights. Before packing them up each year, plug each strand into the wall to confirm everything is still working. Wrap the lights carefully back into their original packaging or something similar—winding a strand tightly together or leaving it to hang loose in a storage bin can lead to frayed or damaged wiring.
The type of lighting you choose can have a big part in the aesthetic and function of your space. Ambient lighting refers to indirect or diffused lighting that evenly reaches most areas of the space. Task lighting illuminates specific areas, such as a workspace. Accent lighting draws attention to details in your home, and decorative lighting draws attention to itself.
The easiest way to hang Christmas lights on your roof is to attach them to your gutters, but there are plenty of user-friendly methods to try. You can use light clips to easily hook Christmas lights to your shingles, eaves, gutters, or soffit. However, using a telescoping pole is a surefire way to ensure your safety while hanging Christmas lights because it doesn’t require using a ladder or climbing onto the roof.
Permanent lights can save you big in labor costs down the line, as you’ll only need to invest in installing them once. As with regular lights, costs vary based on the display and the size of your home. Costs are similar to hanging regular lights, typically falling between $220 and $650.
The Jackman, ME homeowners’ guide to holiday decorating services
From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.
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