In many areas that celebrate Christmas, Christmas house lights have become a staple of holiday tradition, decoration, and the holiday spirit. This is certainly the case in many parts of the United States. Because a Christmas light display is an incredibly effective but relatively simple way of preparing your home for the holidays, it’s easy to see why many people in the US love their Christmas lights. However, if you’ve ever worked on holiday lighting installation by yourself once the Christmas season comes around, you’ve probably also noticed some reasons why so many people complain about setting up those lights they love so much. Setting up your own Christmas lights year after year, only to take them down again after the holiday season is over, is a process fraught with potential frustrations and even dangers.

This is one reason why professional Christmas light installation is becoming increasingly popular as a solution for homeowners and others who want to spruce up their property’s exterior (even with commercial lighting situations). But what do you need to know about these kinds of lights? To answer that, let’s take a look at some common questions that might be asked about Christmas light installations.

Should I install Christmas lights myself, or hire a professional? What are some benefits to having lights installed professionally?

In most cases, it will be possible to install Christmas lights yourself on your property. However, just because it’s a possibility doesn’t necessarily mean it’s always the best one. Physical constraints or concerns may mean that self-installation is not a prudent approach. Suppose you are uncertain about your ability to balance carefully, for instance. In that case, you probably don’t want to climb a ladder to install your lights. Many conditions can make it difficult or unsafe for someone to do this kind of manual labor on their own, so professional lighting installation can help with that. You may also be able to get professional installation that comes with a warranty on either the lights, the installation, or both. This means that you can know that things will be taken care of if you have any problems with the lighting system over the first few years of its life. Professionals also have experience with the installation process that helps them make things look and work just like they should.

Installing holiday lights yourself has some benefits; the biggest one is that it will be cheaper since you aren’t hiring a holiday lighting service to put up the lights for you.

What is some basic light installation safety to know? If you decide to install lights yourself, you’ll definitely want to know about safety so that you can focus on protecting your roof (and yourself) when installing them. The installation process has two big possible issues that you could encounter: fall risks and electrical danger.

Because many Christmas light displays are installed on the edge of a roof or rain gutter, most installation processes will need a decent ladder. If you find yourself using one, make sure that you follow all normal ladder safety rules. Make sure that the feet of the ladder are level and on solid ground that won’t let it slip or sink under your weight. A level patch of cement is one place that’s likely to be more sturdy for placing a ladder. Make sure as well that you are careful while ascending and descending the ladder and that you are not carrying bulky, awkwardly shaped, or heavy things up the ladder with you. Holding onto a string of lights, for example, could cause you to trip as you’re walking up the ladder. It’s better to get to the step where you’ll be standing and then have someone else on the ground hand up the string of lights so that you don’t need to step on or around it. Having someone nearby is generally a very good idea when using a ladder. They can help hold the ladder steady if it starts to be unstable so that you can get back down safely. They can also hand you tools and other items you need to reduce your need to go up and down the ladder more frequently or while encumbered; finally, they can be there in case something goes wrong and you need help immediately or someone else to call in emergency services. Always follow all instructions associated with your ladder and any other tools you’re going to be using. Above all, remember to use common sense and think carefully before committing to any action that could potentially be dangerous.

Once you’re sure you know what you’re doing with ladder and height safety, another potential hazard of installing Christmas lights would be electrical issues. Again, common sense will help you out a lot here, as well:

• Make sure traditional string Christmas lights are not plugged in while setting them up, so there’s less risk of electrical discharge.

• Be careful using power tools close to the lights’ wiring while installing them so that you can avoid cutting into the wires.

• Don’t use multiple extension cords together to extend their reach (a process known as “daisy chaining,” which can be quite dangerous in the wrong conditions). Instead, use single cords that are long enough in and of themselves.

You should also make sure that your lights are outdoor rated so that they can withstand temperature fluctuations and weather conditions that they may encounter (like snow, for example.)—this also applies to any outdoor outlets that are used to plug in the Christmas lights. If you’re plugging the lights in indoors or behind any kind of door or barrier that can shut, make sure not to have the door or barrier shutting on the cord for the lights.

Finally, and hopefully, obviously, if you’re skipping the plugs and wiring lights directly into your property’s system in any way--even if they're LED lights--make sure that you know what you’re doing. Approaching electrical tasks without a solid knowledge of how things should be done both practically and safely can lead to injuries, property damage, or even death in extreme cases. If you’re unsure how to do it safely, don’t do it.

How much does installation usually cost? The installation cost of a permanent holiday light system for an entire home will depend on the home’s size and on the extensiveness of the system, but you can generally expect a range of around $2000 up to $10,000, depending on what types of lights you’ve chosen and how many you’re getting. Now, that’s a pretty big range, so you should probably know what you’re getting into before you commit to buying anything. Try looking for a cost guide for permanent lighting installation in your area to get a better idea of what you can expect for your home, and make sure to take advantage of offers for free estimates from installation companies. Is it more typical to pay by the foot or by the hour? In most cases, professional holiday light installers will charge by the foot. This means good things for both parties: you will know upfront exactly what you’ll be asked to pay, and the installing company doesn’t have to keep track of their hours when they’re billing you for their services. What should I know before booking an appointment?

Before you book an appointment with Christmas light installers to either get an estimate or have your lights installed, there are a few things you’ll probably want to remember.

First, it will be helpful to know the size of your home and the perimeter or length of the area where you hope to have lights installed. Even a rough estimate will be helpful here, but the more accurate you are, the more accurate a price estimate from the Christmas light installation service will probably be.

Next, you’ll want to consider what kind of lighting you’re looking for. Some kinds of permanent lights are installed underneath the roof’s edge, providing a glowing, downlighting effect that illuminates the property’s walls. Other kinds are installed on the edge itself or just above the edge, meaning that they shine outwards more than downwards. Which is better? It all depends on your preference, the kind of look you hope to have with your lights, and what the Christmas lighting company offers. You should also decide where you want the lighting display to be on your property; a Christmas light installation company will also often offer patio lighting and other outdoor lights for various needs. How can JellyFish Lighting help me? If you want to leave your Christmas light installation to the professionals, contact JellyFish Lighting. You can control our lighting system through a smartphone app, giving you literally thousands of options for colors and patterns, and the ability to change your display in moments. In addition, opur system offers a variety of white light options for the perfect balance of warm and cool white lights. When you’re deciding what will work best for permanent LED Christmas lights, or color-changing lights for any special event throughout the year, JellyFish Lighting can help.