With the holidays around the corner, people are gearing up to deck out their homes in festive lights. Should you take the Clark Griswold route and do it yourself? Or hire a professional? 
Although many homeowners and DIYers think hanging lights is simple, it’s often more troublesome than expected. Whether they underestimate the number of lights needed, forget extension cords, or improperly install the lights, a lot can go wrong.
Consider hiring a professional to do your holiday light setup for these three reasons: expertise, safety, and quality.
Expertise
Professionals will ensure that the lighting setup for your home will look attractive and be the right fit for your property.
Professionals know the best lighting arrangement for the size and type of home you have. They are familiar with the kind of lights that will work best in a given space or configuration, and what kind of lights will be the most attractive and most effective. Hiring a lighting professional guarantees that you’ll receive expert level quality.
Safety
Safety is a priority for lighting professionals. They know how to install various types of holiday lights correctly and securely so they don’t fall off or cause a safety hazard.
John Minor, owner of Irrigation and Lighting Specialists in Charleston, South Carolina, says his team carries out projects according to safety procedures, which prevents injuries and property damage. They also wear safety equipment, like harnesses, helmets, and gloves.
Minor says these are precautions laypeople sometimes overlook when installing holiday lights on their own, which can lead to dangerous situations.
“I had one customer who fell off his roof and broke his shoulder trying to hang Christmas lights on his house. He told me that he wanted to let a professional do it from then on,” Minor says.
Professionals are also trained to prevent electrical hazards when installing lighting. For example, van Patten and his employees are trained to work around home sprinkler systems as well as gutters, and know how to arrange holiday lights around them.
Top-Quality Equipment
Lighting professionals utilize professional-grade equipment and accessories that homeowners can’t access. Van Patten uses light links to ensure lights are properly installed on clients’ homes and properties. Light links are an accessory that only lighting professionals can order from suppliers.
Additionally, Minor uses LED lights in his clients’ holiday displays because they are cost effective and last longer than standard lights. Homeowners may not realize this and opt for standard lights, which burn out sooner.
A final benefit of hiring a lighting professional is the peace of mind knowing that a skilled, qualified person is making your home beautiful for the holiday season.
“That gives me a lot of satisfaction when customers say, ‘I can’t believe my place looks this good,'” van Patten says.
Interested in hiring a professional to take care of your lighting setup this holiday season? Holiday Bright Lights provides training and support to over 400+ professional decorating companies across the United States and Canada. Make sure you are working with a Clark Approved Decorator. Visit www.holidaybrightlights.com.
