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You can use outdoor electrical outlets to conveniently power landscaping equipment such as electrical lawnmowers, leaf blowers, and pressure washers. From a recreational standpoint, outdoor outlets are handy for powering electric grills, mini-fridges, and stereos. They're also helpful when it's time to string Christmas lights on your home and around your property.

If you need to visually inspect your Christmas lights to determine which are good and which need replacement, there are a few things to look for. First, look for discoloration, such as a dark spot or two on the inside of the glass. The spot is an indication of a burnt filament. Also, look for missing filaments, cracked bulb glass, and broken sockets.

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 average cost to install outdoor or landscape lighting is around $4,000, with most projects ranging from $2,000 to $6,000. The total cost can vary widely depending on several factors, including the number of fixtures, design complexity, and the type and quality of the lights used, such as wall sconces, pathway lights, or lamp posts. Other factors that influence the price are the square footage of the area being lit, the amount of electrical work needed, any required excavation or trenching, and local permitting costs. For specific types, you might pay around $100 for pathway or string lighting and up to $700 for lamp post lighting.