As Colorado Springs residents unpack holiday decorations, Dr. Electric is urging homeowners to inspect every strand of lights and plan how decorations will be powered before anything goes on the roofline or the tree. The warning comes ahead of the holiday season, when many homes add temporary electrical load that can strain wiring and create fire hazards.
The U.S. Fire Administration reports that almost one-third of home Christmas tree fires are caused by electrical problems, according to National Fire Protection Association data. The agency advises inspecting holiday lights each year before putting them up and discarding strands with frayed or pinched wires. It also recommends reading manufacturer instructions for the number of light strands that can be safely connected together.
Rick Rost, owner of Dr. Electric, said the most common issues his team sees are not with the lights themselves but with how they are plugged in. "Strands get chained together past what the box says, cords run under rugs, and everything ends up on one outdoor outlet," Rost said. "A few minutes of checking before you decorate goes a long way."
Rost noted that outdoor decorations should be plugged into GFCI-protected outlets, which electrical code already requires for outdoor receptacles. Homeowners planning permanent exterior or landscape fixtures can work with a qualified electrician on lighting installation colorado springs co projects that use dedicated, properly protected circuits.
If breakers trip repeatedly when decorations are turned on, the company recommends having the home's electrical capacity checked. Older homes may need an electrical panel upgrade colorado springs to handle today's seasonal and everyday loads.
The same planning applies to households adding an electric vehicle this winter. The company handles ev charger installation colorado springs co, including a check of whether the existing panel can support the new circuit.
Rost said warning signs should not be ignored. "If a cord feels warm, a breaker keeps tripping, or lights flicker when something else turns on, those are signs to stop and have it looked at," he said. "It's a lot easier to sort out in November than on Christmas Eve."
The advice matters for homeowners across Colorado Springs, Monument and surrounding communities, where older housing stock and increasing electrical demands from decorations and electric vehicles can push systems beyond their limits. A failure to address overloaded circuits can lead to fires or costly emergency repairs during the holidays. Dr. Electric offers complimentary estimates and can be reached at (719) 232-3047.
