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Halloween and our autumnal season will see many homes across Bournemouth, Northbourne and Ferndown be glowing with spooky lights, illuminated pumpkins, animated decorations and outdoor displays.
While Halloween decorations are great fun, electrical safety should always come first. Outdoor lighting, extension leads and multiple electrical decorations can put extra demands on your home’s electrical system.
At Electrisafe your local Electrician and NICEIC Approved Contractor, we’ve put together some simple Halloween electrical safety tips to help keep your home, family and visitors safe.
👻 Outdoor Halloween Decorations – Stay Safe
If you’re putting Halloween decorations outside, always make sure your electrical equipment is rated for outdoor use and suitable for the damp and wet weather
Indoor lights, extension leads and electrical decorations should never be used outside.
Outdoor electrical equipment needs to be designed to cope with our damp conditions, rain and changing temperatures.
When installing outdoor Halloween lighting:
- Use outdoor rated lights and extension leads
- Check cables, plugs and decorations for damage before use
- Use an RCD-protected outdoor socket
- Make sure cables cannot become trip hazards
- Don’t overload sockets or extension leads
- Unplug decorations when they are not being used
- Keep electrical connections away from water and wet areas
If you regularly use outdoor electrical equipment, having a properly installed outdoor socket can be a much safer and more convenient option than relying on extension leads through doors and windows.
Can Your Home’s Electrics Handle the Extra Load?
If your home has older wiring, like many homes across Bournemouth , Christchurch and Poole it’s worth keeping an eye out for any warning signs that your electrical installation may need attention.
Halloween decorations can mean lots of additional electrical equipment running at the same time such as lights, speakers and projectors.
These can include:
- Flickering or regularly dimming lights
- Sockets that feel warm
- Discoloured or damaged sockets
- Burning smells
- Crackling or buzzing sounds
- Frequent tripping of the circuit breakers
- Sparks from sockets or switches
- Lots of extension leads and adaptors being used
- Older electrical wiring or an outdated consumer unit
If you notice any of these problems, don’t ignore them. A local electrician in Bournemouth or Ferndown can inspect the installation and advise you on the next steps.
For older properties, an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) can also provide a useful assessment of the condition and safety of the electrical installation.
🔥 Be Careful With Extension Leads
Extension leads are useful for Halloween decorations, however they shouldn’t be used as a permanent substitute for correctly installed electrical sockets!!
This is a major fire risk!!
Check extension leads carefully before use and don’t use them if they are:
- Frayed or damaged
- Showing signs of scorching or burning
- Cracked
- Showing exposed wires
- Overheating
Never ever connect extension leads together to reach your decorations.
If you regularly need extra power outside, Electrisafe can install additional outdoor sockets so your garden lighting and seasonal decorations can be powered safely and conveniently.
🔥 Don’t Overload Your Sockets
It’s easy to get carried away when creating the ultimate Halloween display!
However, plugging too many electrical items into one socket or extension lead can cause overheating and potentially create a fire risk.
Watch out for:
- Hot plugs or sockets
- Burning smells
- Buzzing or crackling
- Flickering lights
- Repeatedly tripping circuit breakers
- Scorch marks around sockets or plugs
If your home’s electrical system is struggling to cope with everyday demands, adding more extension leads isn’t the answer.
You may need additional sockets, a circuit or consumer unit upgrade
Check Your Electrical Safety Before the Spooky Season
Halloween is also a good reminder to check your home’s electrics generally.
If you’ve recently moved into an older property, carried out renovations or you’re unsure when your electrical installation was last inspected, an EICR in Bournemouth or the surrounding areas can help identify potential electrical safety issues.
At Electrisafe we can inspect your electrical installation and explain any work that may be recommended for your homes future safety.
Keep Halloween Fun – Not Frightening!
Use suitable outdoor electrical equipment, avoid overloaded sockets, keep cables and connections dry, and never use damaged electrical equipment.
A few simple checks can make a big difference when you’re putting up Halloween decorations.
And if you need help with outdoor sockets, consumer units, electrical inspections, EICRs, fault finding or other electrical work, Electrisafe is here to help.
We’re a local NICEIC Approved Contractor family run business serving homeowners across Bournemouth, Northbourne, Ferndown, West Parley, Christchurch and surrounding areas.
With nearly 30 years of experience, we provide professional electrical services with safety at the heart of everything we do.
Electrisafe Your Local Electrician
Click here to book in those extra sockets or an electrical safety check EICR for your home
