Whoa! I have to say that I’ve been working in the electrical field for many years and have seen some things that would amaze you, but this time of the year brings out a whole new level of scary stuff.
Who really wants to deal with the hassle of putting up Christmas lights? Yes, some people love to decorate their homes, but most of us would rather be doing just about anything else but climbing ladders, walking on the roof and plugging in cords. So we might look for people who will do this for us to relieve us of the headaches.
Some of us look for real professionals who know the importance of taking the time to do things right. They are established businesses with a good reputation, insurance and quality employees who don’t take shortcuts or cut corners. Then there are those penny-pinchers who just want the cheapest labor they can get to string up some lights. I bet Ebenezer Scrooge was looking for that guy!
This is a MAJOR mistake. Please understand that you are counting on this person to not BURN YOUR HOUSE DOWN.
We were recently called upon to add some Christmas lights to a property that had just dealt with someone else and weren’t really very happy with how things turned out. We gave a proposal and when it was accepted we moved forward with the lighting. Then we discovered something that made the hair on the back of our necks stand up. The previous contractor had shoved pieces of wire into the female end of an extension cord (attempting to create a male end) in order to use both ends of it. See the photos here to get a clear picture of what they did. I was astonished!
Now take into consideration that this was located where young children play, and the lights were on the fence of the play area. And this “rigged” plug was located in an outdoor location with no rain protection (other than electrical tape). Do you get the picture? This took risky to a whole new level just to save a few bucks – and it could have caused a terrible tragedy. Naturally, we warned the property owner and suggested they check all other electrical connections the previous worker had dealt with but we fixed what we found and made sure everything was safe.
Listen, I have no problem with saving money. I’ll buy generic products like bleach and store brand honey nut toasty-o’s, but there are some occasions when a professional is going to give you the safety and security of a job done right that your brother-in-law, or the neighbor-with-a-toolbox, simply can’t guarantee. This instance was a lot more than a tripped circuit breaker or a blown fuse; this was dangerous. It’s this kind of hazard that can occur when you hire the person who says they’ll do anything.
There is a lot going on at this time of year that can distract us, and we don’t always have time or money to do all we want to deck the halls for the holidays. But it’s hard to have a merry Christmas when the house has burned to the ground or – God forbid – something worse. If you don’t want the hassle of installing your own lights (and doing it right!), then I suggest you hire a reputable company that has a trustworthy reputation. Check references and make sure they have good liability insurance. We want everyone to be able to enjoy holiday lighting without risk of an electrical disaster.
Have a safe and merry Christmas and holiday season! If you need our help, and you are in our Austin and central Texas service area, please contact us here and we’ll try to be of assistance.
