🎄 The Top 5 Mistakes Homeowners Make When Installing Christmas Lights

It’s that time of year again — the ladders are coming out, the storage bins are being dug through, and half of Mechanicsburg is testing bulbs to figure out why half the strand won’t light.

Hanging Christmas lights looks easy enough… until you’re a few hours in, the extension cords don’t reach, and you realize the middle of your roofline is dark.

If you’re planning to tackle your own Christmas light setup this year, here are the top 5 mistakes homeowners make — and how to avoid them.

🎯 1. Using Store-Bought Lights Instead of Commercial-Grade

This is the biggest one we see every year. Store-bought lights may be cheap and easy to grab at the hardware store, but they’re not built to handle a full season outdoors.

They fade, burn out, and short-circuit — especially in the cold. Commercial-grade lights, on the other hand, are designed for outdoor durability and can be custom cut to fit your roofline perfectly. The difference in brightness and lifespan is huge.

🔌 2. Overloading Circuits and Extension Cords

We’ve all been there — one plug short, so you just keep daisy-chaining cords together and hope for the best. Not only does this look messy, but it’s also a fire hazard.

Plan your layout first. Check how many watts your outlet can handle, and divide your lights into smaller, safer connections. If you need more power, use outdoor-rated extension cords designed for the load.

🪜 3. Climbing Ladders Without Safety Precautions

It sounds obvious, but this one sends more people to the ER than you’d think. Wet roofs, uneven ground, and tangled cords make a bad combination.

If you’re going up high, have someone spot you. Use a sturdy ladder on level ground, and always keep three points of contact. (Or better yet — let someone else handle the tall spots.)

🧩 4. Skipping the Design Plan

A great Christmas display looks clean and balanced — not cluttered or uneven. The biggest mistake people make is just winging it without a plan.

Sketch out your house or take a picture and draw where you want the lights to go. Think symmetry: roofline, windows, garage, and landscape lighting. A quick plan saves you hours of frustration and a half-lit roof.

❄️ 5. Not Testing Lights Before Hanging

There’s nothing worse than spending two hours on the roof only to realize half your lights don’t work. Always plug in and test each strand before hanging it up.

Replace any broken or dim bulbs, check for loose connections, and make sure all plugs are facing the right direction before you start.

🎁 The Key to a Great Christmas Display

The truth is, a great Christmas light display isn’t about how many lights you hang — it’s about how you hang them.

Taking the time to plan, test, and use quality materials will save you a ton of frustration (and possibly a trip to the hardware store).

And if you ever decide you’d rather skip the ladders and tangled cords altogether, there’s always a crew nearby that loves doing it for you 😉

Contact Our Team👇