NewsPositively Hampton Roads

Actions

Putting up Christmas lights? The equipment you need and the lights to buy

Posted at 7:57 AM, Nov 26, 2019
and last updated 2019-11-26 09:59:18-05

It's official. We've got less than a month until Christmas and it's time to get festive! Maybe the best way to do it...is putting Christmas lights onto your house.

Whether you're 'going Griswold' with 25,000 imported Italian twinkle lights or you're just putting up a couple strands, you want to be smart and be safe.

News 3 spoke with the professionals at Tidewater Christmas Lights for a little help.

First, equipment -- Owner Ramone Jones recommends getting a multi-position ladder that can be used throughout the year. For dressing up the second story, an extension ladder is what you need.

And be careful setting it up.

“When you set your ladder up, make sure you got enough angle on it because you don’t want it to be straight up and down. If you’re on concrete or pavement or any hard surface, you want to make sure your rubber feet are on the ground because that is what is going to keep the ladder from sliding out on you," said Jones.

For ground and soft surfaces, flip the feet of the ladder so the teeth can dig into the ground.

Jones also recommends getting a stabilizer, which is put on the roof to keep the ladder in place. They're available for around $50, he says.

When it comes to putting up lights, Jones suggests looking into LED lights because they last longer than traditional lights, which tend to burn out between seasons. They also save energy.

And, change up the light sizes depending on the part of your house you're decorating.

Click here for full holiday coverage and local events.

“This is what we hang on your roof line. These are called C-9s. These are LEDs and you can get these in whatever color that you want," said Jones. "As far as our minis go, we’ve got a 6-inch strand and we’ve got a 4-inch strand...The 6-inch strand is what we use on the bushes."

He says 4-inch strands are used on pillars and anything else you want to wrap tightly.

If you are putting up your own lights and only want to hit a couple spots on the house, Jones says to focus on the front roof line. If you're not comfortable on a ladder, then concentrate on the bushes.

If you want to call a service, Jones says Tidewater Christmas Lights packages start at a few hundreds of dollars. He provides the lights, equipment, the labor in putting them up and taking them down and maintenance during the season.

Jones adds, he's always willing to answer questions over the phone, free of charge.

"If you're not able to hire us to come out, we still want your kids to enjoy their Christmas and it be bright with lights," he said.

Tidewater Christmas Lights can be reached at (757) 810-5115.