How To Run Outside Extension Cords Safely and Inexpensively

For the holiday season, you’ll likely need several outside extension cords to power your decorations. Keep these safety tips in mind to ensure your family can enjoy both a warm outdoor glow and a safe holiday free from costly accidents.

The holiday season is upon us! On a wintry Christmas day, nothing looks more inviting than your home and yard lit up with bright, colorful, and twinkling little lights hanging from the boughs of the trees, wrapped around the shrubs and bushes, and maybe some on the snowman, too!

You’ll likely need several extension cords outside to power your Christmas decorations, but before you start working on the lighting arrangements or rush out to buy the cords, heed the safety tips described below as we explore how to run outdoor extension cords safely. You don’t want to make a mistake that could leave you with a costly ER visit or home repair bill.

Check Your Outside Receptacle

Before you start searching for the lights from last year or decide to buy a new set, ensure the receptacle outside your house is safe for use. The receptacle should be fitted with a Ground Fault Interrupter (GFI) or Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter. For the uninitiated, the GFI is a safety outlet that has been designed to prevent potentially catastrophic electrical accidents like shocks and short circuits that can result in fires.

The GFI continually monitors the amount of electric current circulating through a particular circuit. The outlet is programmed to sense any current loss and immediately disrupt the circuit.

To check for the GFI, locate all the receptacles outside your house and look for a small button on each one of them. This button can be pushed to reset the receptacle. Make sure that this button is functioning the way it should. Not all models of receptacles are manufactured alike. The particular make of receptacle on your premises might have its GFI button at the junction of the breaker box. The GFI button may also be in the power room or any other room in your house, like the kitchen. However, it is imperative that you locate the GFI and test its functionality before you start working on the outdoor lights.

Accurately Measure the Length of the Outside Extension Cords Needed

After you have decided on the exact spots where you want to install the lights, take a tape and measure the distance between each of these spots and their nearest power source outlet. Determine each decoration separately, looking at each decoration and its own distance back to the power source.

Keep in mind that you should use only one that closely matches the length of each measurement. This means that if you had measured seven feet from a light to its nearest power source, you should use an extension cord that is only a little longer than this length (eight, nine, or, at the most, 10 feet). You should never use a 20-foot extension cord to cover a distance of seven feet. Using extension cords far longer than what is actually needed can cause cords to become entangled.

Use Extension Cords Rated for Outdoor Use

This is an oft-ignored tip that can prove to be costly. Extension cords used outdoors must be very robust and able to withstand the elements. To make sure that this Christmas is safe for you and your family, you should use only extension cords specially designed for outdoor purposes.

An outdoors-use rating means that these cords contain additional layers of shielding to insulate and protect the fragile wires inside from freezing temperatures, water, and snow. The additional layers of shielding protect the wires from being damaged, which may cause a terrible, costly accident.

Plug the Extension Cords Into an Outlet in an Area With the Least Traffic

Whenever possible, run the extension cords through areas with the least amount of foot traffic to minimize the risks of falls and tripping accidents.

Keep the Connections Off the Ground

Lastly, ensure the connections are off the ground and not at risk of getting drenched or submerged in water.

Check the extension cords that run near the slopes in your yard. Puddles of water are most likely to collect around these areas. Make it a point that the extension cords do not come into contact with moisture.

Related: Get Your Money’s Worth When Buying a Christmas Tree

Running extension cords outside your house to light up your Christmas decorations is not tricky. You just need to be cautious. After all, you are dealing with electricity. Being careless with extension cords has been known to cause accidents. Keep the above-mentioned safety tips in mind, and make sure that you and your family can enjoy both a warm outdoor glow and a safe holiday.

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Reviewed November 2023

About the Author

Benjamin Roussey is from Sacramento, CA, and grew up doing all varieties of home improvement projects around the home since his parents did not hire contractors or outside help to maintain their home or vehicles. As a result, he has acquired a multitude of home handyman skills in plumbing, carpentry, electrical and everything in between.