Yes. If your holiday lights keep tripping the outdoor outlet, or you are feeding extension cords under the garage door every December, the real fix is adding outdoor outlets where the lights actually go: under the eaves, on the patio and near the front yard. Each new outdoor outlet should be GFCI protected, weather-resistant and fitted with a cover that stays closed while something is plugged in. In Las Vegas that work is easiest to schedule in early November, before the decorating rush and well before Thanksgiving. Fix & Finish handles lighting installation in Las Vegas, and the outlets that power seasonal lights are part of planning that lighting properly.
Why Extension Cord Chains Trip Breakers and Melt Plugs
Most Las Vegas homes have one or two exterior outlets, usually by the front door and on the back patio. That leaves a long run to the roofline, the driveway and the yard, so holiday lights end up on a chain of extension cords and power strips that all draw from a single outlet. Every light set, inflatable and projector on that chain adds load to one circuit, and every plug connection is another spot where heat builds up or water gets in.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission advises never stringing together more than three sets of incandescent lights and never overloading electrical outlets. The Electrical Safety Foundation International adds that every cord and decoration used outside should be marked for outdoor use, and that the amperage of what you plug in should match the rating of the extension cord. A cord that feels warm, a plug that has discolored, or a breaker that trips every evening when the lights come on are all signs the setup is asking one outlet to do the work of several.
A cord pinched in a garage door or a window is its own problem. The door crushes the insulation a little more every time it closes, and the gap it leaves lets heat and dust into the garage all season.
What a Proper Outdoor Outlet Needs: GFCI and a Weatherproof Cover
A proper outdoor outlet for holiday lights has three parts: GFCI protection, a weather-resistant receptacle and the right cover.
- GFCI protection: a ground fault circuit interrupter compares the current going out to a device with the current coming back. According to OSHA, when the difference reaches about 5 milliamperes, the GFCI cuts power within as little as 1/40 of a second. ESFI recommends plugging outdoor lights and decorations only into GFCI protected circuits.
- A weather-resistant receptacle: outdoor receptacles are made with materials meant to hold up to moisture and temperature swings. A standard indoor outlet moved outside is not the same thing.
- An extra duty while-in-use cover: a flat flip cover only protects the outlet when nothing is plugged in. Holiday lights stay plugged in for weeks, so an outlet exposed to the weather needs a bubble style cover that stays closed around the cord. Leviton's extra duty while-in-use cover, for example, is listed for that use and built from UV-resistant polycarbonate, which matters under Las Vegas sun.
If your existing outdoor outlet trips every time the lights go on, the GFCI is doing its job. It is seeing current leak somewhere, often a worn light set, a wet connection lying on the ground, or a cover that lets water reach the plug when sprinklers run. Replacing the outlet will not fix a damaged light set, but spreading the load across more outlets and keeping connections off the ground and under proper covers usually does.
Quick check: if your outdoor outlet has a flat cover that has to stay open for the cord to fit, or the cover is cracked and chalky from the sun, that outlet is not protected while your lights are plugged in.
Where to Add Outlets on the Eaves, Patio and Front Yard
The best places for new outdoor outlets on a Las Vegas home are where the lights start, so each run of lights plugs in close by instead of at the end of a long cord.
- Under the eaves: an outlet in the soffit, ideally controlled by a switch inside the house, lets roofline lights plug in at the top instead of running cords down the stucco to the front door. It also stays shaded and out of sprinkler spray.
- On the patio: a covered patio is a natural place for a second outlet, for string lights, a tree on the patio, or decorations in the backyard. Leviton notes that a damp location, such as a covered porch without direct exposure to weather, can use a suitable weatherproof cover, while an outlet exposed directly to the weather needs an extra duty while-in-use cover.
- Near the front yard and driveway: an outlet on a front wall or column near the landscaping powers yard decorations, inflatables and projectors without a cord across the walkway. This spot is often in reach of sprinklers or a misting line, so it should get the extra duty cover.
Outlets used for holiday lights get used the rest of the year too, for landscape lighting, a pressure washer or patio string lights. Placing them with that in mind is part of a good outdoor lighting plan.
Timers and Smart Plugs That Survive Desert Weather
Fire safety groups including ESFI advise turning outdoor decorations off when you go to bed or leave home, and a timer is the simplest way to make that happen every night. For holiday lights in Las Vegas, a few points matter:
- Use outdoor-rated timers and smart plugs: an indoor smart plug left outside under an in-use cover is still an indoor device. Check that the package says it is rated for outdoor use.
- Consider a switched outlet or an in-wall timer: an eave outlet tied to a wall switch or a programmable timer inside the house keeps the controls out of the sun entirely.
- Mind the Wi-Fi: a smart plug on the far side of the yard may lose the signal. If your outdoor devices drop off the network, the smart home and security installation team can look at coverage while other outdoor work is being done.
Desert sun is hard on plastic. Covers, timers and smart plugs that sit in direct sun all summer can crack and fade, so a timer that worked last December is worth inspecting before it goes back outside. Our guide to desert-ready home upgrades covers the same issue for other outdoor devices.
Permanent Roofline Lighting as an Alternative
Permanent roofline lighting is a track of LED lights mounted along the eaves or fascia that stays up all year and is controlled by an app or timer. For a Las Vegas homeowner who decorates for several holidays, it removes the yearly ladder work and the clips that come loose in wind.
Permanent lights still need power, usually one dedicated outlet or a hardwired connection near the eave where the controller mounts. Adding a soffit outlet now is useful either way: it powers clip-on lights this year and the controller if you switch to permanent lighting later.
Whichever way you go, working near the roofline brings ladder risk. ESFI advises using wooden or fiberglass ladders outdoors, since metal ladders conduct electricity, and keeping yourself and your equipment at least 10 feet from power lines.
Getting the Work Done Before Thanksgiving
Adding outdoor outlets for holiday lights is a short job once the locations are decided, but it is easier to schedule in early November than in the week people start hanging lights. Before you call, it helps to know:
- Where each set of lights goes: roofline, patio, yard, trees. Photos of last year's setup are useful.
- Which outlets trip: and whether it happens right away, after rain or sprinklers, or after the lights have been on for a while.
- Whether you want switching: a wall switch, a timer, or smart control for the new outlets.
- Whether permanent lighting is on the table: so a soffit outlet can be placed where a controller would go.
New outdoor wiring may also need a permit from your city or county building department, so ask about it when you request a quote.
If you are tired of cords under the garage door and an outlet that trips every night, contact Fix & Finish to talk through where your lights go and what outlets, covers and controls your home needs. You can also see what our Las Vegas lighting installation service covers.