Can You Use Indoor Lights Outside?

Many homeowners like to decorate the outside of their homes for special occasions, like birthday parties and Christmas gatherings. More often than not, they will choose to use the fairy lights that they purchased to decorate their stair rail or to hang on their Christmas tree to do this. Are these indoor lights suitable for use outside, however? In most cases yes, providing that you take some precautions to protect them from the elements.

• Use the string lights in the covered entertaining areas of your property, like the patio and verandah. Instead of hanging them from the rafters (where they may be more exposed), consider draping them on your outdoor furniture.

• Use indoor lights to outline your home’s windows. Before doing this, however, you should check that your windows are fitted with a soffit that will shield the wiring from the elements. Adhere the wiring to the frame with staple gun.

• Use the string lights around your roof by hanging them directly below your gutters. This should provide the wiring with plenty of protection against the elements, and you should run the extension cord through a well-protected window to avoid shorting it out.

If you have accidentally purchased indoor lights for use in your outdoor decorations or you have been wondering whether the string fixtures that you hang on your Christmas tree can be used outside for a party, you can rest assured in the knowledge that this is safe. Just make sure that you follow the above tips to ensure that you are protecting the wiring from the elements.