Allegheny Power Provides Helpful Safety Tips for Holiday Lighting

GREENSBURG, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Another holiday season is approaching and many of us are ready to decorate our homes. Holiday lighting can make the season bright, but it’s important to remember that safety should always be a priority.

Start by inspecting your lights every year. Don’t assume that they’re in good working condition. They may have been damaged when removed last year or while in storage. If in doubt, throw them out. Also, to reduce the possibility of electric shock or fires, check for the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) Mark when purchasing new lights or decorations. UL is an independent product safety certification organization that has been testing products and writing standards for safety for more than a century.

In addition to visually inspecting holiday lighting and decorations, Allegheny Power offers the following safety tips:

• Always unplug lights or decorations before replacing bulbs or fuses.
• Keep all outdoor extension cords and light strings clear of snow and standing water and well protected from weather.
• Do not allow children or pets to play with light strings or other electrical decorations. Even small light decorations can produce a serious electric shock if they are misused.
• When hanging lights outside, be sure to survey the area for overhead power lines and maintain at least a 10-foot distance. Contrary to popular belief, wooden ladders also conduct electricity and no ladder should ever touch a power line.
• Securely fasten outdoor lights to trees, walls or other stationary supports to protect them from wind damage and use insulated staples or hooks. Avoid hanging lights with nails or tacks.
• Plug outdoor lights and decorations into circuits protected by ground fault circuit interrupters. Circuit interrupters can be purchased wherever electrical supplies are sold.
• Do not overload extension cords – it can cause the cord to overheat and start a fire.
• Turn off all electrical light strings and decorations before leaving your house or going to bed.
• Always use lighting according to the manufacturer’s specifications – indoor lights for indoor use only and outdoor lights for outdoor use.

Following these safety tips will help make the holiday season safe for you and your family. And remember, if your lights do need to be replaced, consider LED lighting. LEDs can use up to 98 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs and can last up to 50,000 hours. For more information on electrical safety, call our Customer Service Center at 1-800-Allegheny (1-800-255-3443), or visit our Web site at www.alleghenypower.com.

Allegheny Energy

Headquartered in Greensburg, Pa., Allegheny Energy, Inc. (NYSE: AYE) is an investor-owned electric utility with total annual revenues of over $3 billion and more than 4,000 employees. The company owns and operates generating facilities and delivers low-cost, reliable electric service to 1.5 million customers in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Maryland. For more information, visit our Web site at www.alleghenyenergy.com.