Decorating for the holidays is fun when you’ve got the tips and tricks to getting it done right. Check out our tips on hanging holiday lights safely, efficiently, and beautifully!

How To Set Up A Christmas Light Display

Map It Out

The first step to a great holiday home is to figure out how many lights you need. Measure windows, railings, roofs and more to understand the areas you want to cover in lights. For trees and shrubs we suggest 100 lights for every 1 and a half feet of shrub. If you are reusing lights, test them with your Gardner Bender Range Tester before hanging them up. Be sure to also check for signs of wear and tear as that could be hazardous to your setup. If there are broken or burnt out bulbs, get those replaced before going up on your home.

Clip It

From windows to railings, getting a variety of clips to suit the spot on your home is key to decorating with lights. Clips not only hold the lights in place you are also insuring the lights will avoid any wear and tear of being replaced next year. Space the clips about 8 inches apart to avoid drooping strands.  Make sure you are using the right clip for the correct location. Roof line clips will work differently than window clips.  Get the correct clip and you will avoid the headache of restringing your lights later.  Do not use staples when attaching lights as they can damage the cords.

Hang The Lights

When placing the holiday lights in the clip, make sure the plug end is closest to the power source. This will help avoid cords being exposed around your decoration setup.  Always use outdoor extension cords and outdoor power source. An outdoor timer is a great option to add to your connection to keep your lights on during your preferred display times.

Here are some helpful home maintenance tips for this month by Lou Manfredini, Ace’s Home Expert.

July Home Checklist

• Take Care Of The Bugs

  • Grubs in your lawn can leave it looking terrible and also invite rodents who eat them.  Treat your lawn with a grub treatment to keep them at bay.
  • Ants are another issue that needs to be attacked with shakes around your home, foaming sprays in nooks and crannies and bait traps inside. When big storms come in ants get washed out and head indoors for protection.
  • Mosquitoes are also a huge pain as the weather warms up in many parts of the country.  You can treat your lawn and shrubs with a hose end treatment that can last two weeks and use mosquito dunks in any standing water around your home to eliminate mosquitoes before they mature.

• Hose Down Your A/C Unit Outside

  • Your condensing unit can get clogged with debris. From lawn clippings to leaves, it’s time to give it a clean to keep it working properly vs. overworking.  Shut the system off and use a hose and sprayer and start and the top and clean it off with just water.  This will boost efficiency and help keep an emergency repair from being needed.  And while you’re at it, make sure the filter is clean too.

• Treat Mildew and Mold

  • Treat the mildew and mold off the roof and side of your home with a treatment that works with mother nature to keep things clean.  Some offer hose end options so you can safely stay on the ground and spray up to 30 feet.

• Re-coat Your Asphalt Driveway

  •  Clean it off really well using either a pressure washer or dish soap and a broom and rinse.  Fill the cracks and patch any larger holes with asphalt patching.  Then spread out the new sealer once the repairs are set, usually a day or so.  You can either use a driveway broom or squeegee.

• Wash The Windows

  •  This is a pain to do, but the benefits of clean glass are terrific. I like using warm water with a small amount of dish soap.  Wash the windows with a microfiber towel. Then polish it with a dry microfiber towel you’ll be amazed. If windows are high up, attach a window cleaner to a hose to spray and address the top windows.