Christmas lights? Get off the ladder and hire a professional

You can learn everything you need to know about a person by the way they handle a string of lights. When faced with tangled wires, burnt out light bulbs, and hanging problems, do they happily whistle “Deck the Halls” or do they get red in the face and start cursing? Add a ladder, icy conditions, and electricity, and you're asking for a trip to the emergency room.

“Christmas lights are all about creating a festive mood, but untangling wires and climbing ladders can quickly become silly and, in some cases, even risky,” said Angie Hicks, owner of Angi (formerly). Angie's List), a national home services platform.

Their online service has been busy since Thanksgiving, with more homeowners than ever seeking out professional Christmas light installers in their area. “This is a smart move considering ladders are one of the most common and serious household injuries,” Hicks said. “People climb up and stretch too far, stand on the top step, or don’t have a minder, and next thing you know – boom!”

According to a recent survey by Angi, 81% of people who put up Christmas lights last year encountered problems such as tangled lights, burnt out bulbs and burnt circuits.

Hicks remembers a Christmas at her house when the Christmas lights overloaded the circuits and her family spent Christmas Eve in the dark waiting for an electrician.

“Most people don’t understand how much electricity their lights use,” she said.

This frustration is largely why 42% of those installing outdoor lights are considering seeking professional help this year. Depending on the complexity and scope of the work, homeowners can expect to pay between $200 and $1,000 for most projects, Hicks said. This includes installing, maintaining, dismantling and sometimes storing lights. Timely dismantling is crucial: 31% of homeowners surveyed who are doing renovations admitted that they left the lights on longer than intended. In other words, you are that neighbor.

During the years I've had Christmas lights on the roof of my two-story home, I've hired professionals. I generally liked my husband so much that I didn't want him to climb a 30-foot ladder. However, a few years ago we stopped doing a large light production for our house, not only to save $1,000, but also because the lights were constantly on and the workers were inadequate. (That's what we get when we hire a man who was racing around the neighborhood on a Vespa one day.)

When I told Hicks this story, she assured me that before allowing a company to join Angi's certified network, her team conducts a criminal background check on the company owners and has them certify that they have proper licenses.

“However, homeowners still need to do their own due diligence and require proof of insurance,” she said.

Today's holiday message is in a nutcracker. Before you climb on the roof or see someone you love dangling from a gutter, consider putting some of your vacation budget toward hiring a professional lighting installer. Some jobs just aren't worth killing yourself for. Hanging Christmas lights is one of them. Here, says Hicks, are the reasons to consider hiring a professional:

Avoid risks: “The main reason more homeowners are choosing to hire a professional to set up and take down lights is safety,” Hicks said. Seriously, guys, how do you ever manage to get down the chimney with both arms in a cast?

Stay up to date: Decorative Christmas lighting is becoming more and more sophisticated and requires more specialist knowledge. As displays become more complex (thanks in part to peer pressure), installation becomes more complicated and in turn requires more expertise. According to the Angi survey, 21% of homeowners who installed lights last year said friendly competition with neighbors was a factor.