How to Maintain and Store Christmas Lights in Maine and New Hampshire

Outdoor Christmas lights in Maine and New Hampshire have a harder job than they do in most of the country. They sit through wet snow, ice, wind off the water and salt air for six weeks or more. Most problems people run into, from an outlet that keeps tripping to a strand that is half dark, come down to water getting in or to damage from the year before.

This guide covers how to check your lights before they go up, how to keep them working through the season, and how to take them down and store them so they are ready next year.

Before the lights go up

Ten minutes on the garage floor saves an hour on a ladder. Check every strand before it goes on the house.

• Look for frayed or cracked wire, exposed copper, cracked sockets and bent or crushed plugs. Replace a damaged strand. Do not tape over it.

• Plug each strand in and confirm every bulb lights. Replace failed bulbs with the same type, with the strand unplugged.

• Use only lights and extension cords rated for outdoor use, and look for a recognized safety listing such as UL.

• Do not mix LED and incandescent strands on the same run. They draw power differently.

• Follow the manufacturer limit for how many strands can be connected end to end.

Keep water out of the connections

Water in a connection is the most common reason outdoor lights fail in a New England winter. A few habits prevent most of it.

• Plug outdoor lights into GFCI-protected outlets, and press the test and reset buttons before the season starts.

• Keep plug connections off the ground and out of places where snow drifts or meltwater collects.

• Use an in-use outlet cover that closes over the cord, so wind-driven rain and snow cannot reach the outlet.

• Cap any empty socket on a C7 or C9 line. An open socket collects water.

• Put the display on an outdoor timer so it is not running all night.

If the outlet keeps tripping

A GFCI outlet that trips is doing its job: it has detected current leaking, usually through moisture. To find the cause, unplug everything and reset the outlet. Then plug the strands back in one at a time, waiting about half a minute between each. The one that trips the outlet is the one with the problem. Check its connections, sockets and cord for water or damage.

If the outlet trips with nothing plugged in, or you see scorching or smell burning, stop and call an electrician.

If part of a strand goes dark

• Check for a loose, broken or missing bulb in the dark section and replace it.

• Check the small fuse in the plug, if the strand has one.

• Look for a pinched or cut wire where the strand passes a gutter, a clip or a window.

• If one strand keeps failing, retire it. Chasing the same fault in the cold is not worth it.

Snow, ice, wind and salt air

Snow and ice add weight and hold moisture against the lights. Do not pull on a strand that is frozen to a gutter or buried in ice, and do not chip ice away from it. Wait for a thaw. Pulling is how sockets crack and wires break.

Wind works clips loose over time. After a storm, walk the property and look for sagging runs, clips that have let go and connections that have dropped into the snow.

Near the coast, salt air corrodes plugs and sockets faster than it does inland. If you live close to the water, check connections for green or white buildup when you take the display down, and replace strands that show it.

Taking the lights down

Pick a dry day above freezing if you can. Cold wire is stiff and brittle, and wet lights should not go straight into a bin. Unclip each strand instead of pulling it free from the ground, and keep three points of contact on the ladder. If the roof is icy, wait.

Storing lights so they work next year

• Let everything dry completely before it is packed.

• Wind each strand on a cord reel, a piece of cardboard or a hanger. Loose piles are where tangles and broken bulbs come from.

• Label each strand by where it goes on the house: front roofline, porch, left maple. Next year the layout is already done.

• Use sealed plastic totes. Cardboard boxes take on moisture and do not keep mice out.

• Keep spare bulbs, clips and fuses in the same tote.

Is the garage a good place to store them?

It can be, with care. Unheated garages and sheds in Maine and New Hampshire swing from well below freezing to hot and humid, and they attract rodents that chew wire. If the garage is your only option, use sealed totes, keep them off the floor and away from the door. A dry basement or closet is easier on the lights.

Or leave all of it to us

Everything in this guide is part of our service. We supply the commercial-grade LED lights, install them, and maintenance during the season is included: if part of the display stops working, call and we come out and fix it. After the holidays we take the display down, pack it and store it until next year. See how it works for homes and businesses, or request a quote online in a few minutes.

Common questions

Why do my outdoor Christmas lights keep tripping the outlet?

Almost always moisture, in a plug connection, an empty socket, a damaged cord or the outlet itself. Reconnect the strands one at a time to find which one is causing it.

Can I leave Christmas lights up all winter?

Seasonal lights are made for seasonal use. The longer they stay out in snow, ice and sun, the shorter their life. Take them down once the weather allows.

How should I store Christmas lights?

Dry, wound on a reel or cardboard, labeled, and in a sealed tote kept somewhere dry. More answers are on our FAQ page.