Thursday, October 08, 2015

While the last luster of summer is fading, homeowners who are so inclined are already gearing up for Halloween. So we turned to a 2014 report in Popular Mechanics for a few tips on the safest ways to hang and stage Halloween decorations.

Among those points of advice are:

• Before you decorate the home for Halloween or any other occasion, be smart on your ladder. Make sure it's stable on a flat, level surface. If the yard is not flat, balance the ladder by placing long boards under one of the legs (don't use a small object such as a brick, since the leg can easily slip off). Check that the boards are secured and won't slip.
• Strap strings of lights to a work belt before getting on the ladder so your hands will be free for climbing. Avoid using metal ladders around electrical wires to eliminate the chance of a shock. Move the ladder often instead of leaning off it.
• If you're hanging many strings of lights, invest in a package of zip ties to secure them to deck railings, porch banisters, fences, or tree branches. They require only seconds to attach, hold the strings tightly in place, won't damage your surface with nail holes, and to remove them, it just takes a quick snip of the scissors.
• Keep extension and power cords off sidewalks, hallways, or anywhere people walk, or duct tape cords to traffic area surfaces to reduce the chances of people tripping.
• Leverage your outlets - avoid plugging more than three strings of lights together.
• Support heavy props like those life sized ghosts, skeletons, witches, and zombies by hanging them from tress or awnings and letting them blow in the chilling October breeze. Support their extra weigh using finishing line, which is strong, easy to work with, and invisible at night.

Check out the full story here.
 

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