Every December, somewhere on a New Lenox street, a homeowner pulls into the driveway and notices one side of the roofline is dark. If you strung those lights yourself, that's your evening gone. If you hired a professional company, it should be a phone call. That difference is what holiday light maintenance in New Lenox, IL is really about, and it's worth understanding before you book with anyone.
Here's what actually causes outages, what to check in the first five minutes, and exactly how Twinkle Bros Lighting handles repairs, including what isn't covered, so there are no surprises.
Why Outdoor Holiday Lights Go Out in Chicagoland Winters
Most outages in the Chicago suburbs come from a short list of causes, and Illinois weather drives most of them.
Water and tripped GFCIs
Outdoor outlets are protected by GFCI devices that cut power the moment they sense a fault. A heavy rain, wet snow melting into a connection, or a freeze-thaw cycle that lets moisture creep into a plug can trip one. Half your display goes dark, but nothing is actually broken.
Timers and power
Timers get bumped, reset after a power blip, or unplugged by someone who needed the outlet. A neighbourhood outage can knock a timer off schedule, too.
Physical damage
Wind on New Lenox's open subdivision lots, a snow shovel or snowblower catching a ground cord, a squirrel chewing a wire, or a landscaper or roofer working nearby can all damage a run.
Product failure
Commercial-grade LEDs fail far less often than consumer strands, but no light is perfect. Occasionally a socket, bulb or connection gives out.
What to Check First (It Takes Five Minutes)
Before calling anyone, check these. They solve a large share of outages:
- Is the timer on and set correctly? Look at the display and the dial or settings.
- Is everything plugged in? Check the outdoor outlet and any connection near it.
- Has a GFCI tripped? Press the reset button on the outdoor outlet, and check the GFCI in the garage or basement that may protect it.
- Is the power out on your street? If neighbours' lights are off too, wait it out.
If you're a Twinkle Bros client and you're not sure, call us and we'll walk you through it by phone.
Holiday Light Maintenance in New Lenox: What Twinkle Bros Covers
Every Twinkle Bros quote includes our written Terms & Maintenance Plan, so you know exactly where you stand.
Covered: install through December 31
If a strand, bulb or section of our lights goes out from product failure or weather between installation and December 31, we repair it at no charge, usually within two to three business days, weather permitting. You don't climb a ladder. You don't buy a replacement strand. You call, and we come back.
After January 1: removed, not repaired
From January 1, displays are near the end of their run. If a section fails after that date and you call us out, we remove that section rather than repairing it. Takedown of the whole display happens in late January or February, weather permitting.
Not covered
To be straightforward, the plan doesn't cover outages that aren't caused by our equipment or workmanship: an unplugged timer, a power outage, damage from people, pets, animals, snow removal, roofers, landscapers or other contractors, or plants that have been trimmed or removed since the design. If we're called out for one of those, the visit is billed as a service call. Anything moved or changed by someone other than our crew also falls outside the plan for that section. That's why the five-minute check above matters.
Want a display you never have to think about? Start with professional Christmas light installation and read how our holiday light maintenance works.
Why Professional Lights Fail Less Often
The best repair is the one that never happens. A professionally installed display avoids most failures from the start:
- Commercial-grade LED with sealed sockets, far more durable than hardware-store strands.
- Clips, not tape or staples. Everything is secured to gutters and shingles so wind can't work it loose.
- Cords routed out of harm's way. Low along the foundation and through beds, away from walkways and the snowblower's path.
- Connections kept off the ground where practical, away from standing water and melting snow.
On New Lenox's newer subdivisions, where homes sit on open lots with long runs to power, careful routing makes the biggest difference.
A New Lenox Season, Start to Finish
Most of our New Lenox clients book in October. Installs run mid-October to mid-November, so the display is glowing well before Thanksgiving, whether you live near the Commons and Village Hall or out in the subdivisions along the Old Plank Road Trail and Route 30. Through December, if something fails from weather or product, it's fixed. After New Year's, the display runs until takedown in late January or February. Then everything comes down and goes to our facility, ready for next year. You store nothing.
The same applies whether you're in New Lenox, nearby Frankfort or Mokena: one company handles design, installation, repairs, takedown and storage. Our holiday light removal and storage page covers the end of the season.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do if half my Christmas lights stop working?
Check the timer, then the plugs, then press reset on the outdoor GFCI outlet and any GFCI in the garage or basement. A tripped GFCI after rain or melting snow is the most common cause. If that doesn't fix it and you're a Twinkle Bros client, call us.
Are repairs free with a professional holiday lighting company?
With Twinkle Bros, repairs to our lights for product failure or weather are covered at no charge from install through December 31. Outages caused by something other than our equipment, such as an unplugged timer or snow-removal damage, are billed as a service call.
How fast are holiday lights fixed?
We usually repair covered outages within two to three business days, weather permitting. Ice or high winds can delay ladder work for safety.
Why do outdoor Christmas lights fail in Illinois?
Mostly moisture and temperature swings. Illinois freeze-thaw cycles push water into connections and trip GFCIs. Wind, snow removal and animals cause the rest.
Book a Display That's Looked After
A display is only as good as the company behind it in mid-December. Get your design now and you'll have a written maintenance plan, commercial-grade lights and a crew that comes back, not a weekend of troubleshooting in the cold.
November installation windows fill quickly in New Lenox, so request a free holiday lighting quote this month or call (708) 316-GLOW. Holiday Magic Without the Hassle.