When your family gets bitten by the holiday spirit bug, you’ll likely find yourself on a ladder outside…Hanging Christmas lights all over your home helps to spread the holiday spirit to those in your neighborhood. But, before you hit the ladder, here are some helpful tips you should follow to ensure you don’t damage your roof this holiday season.
Plan First
The most imperative part of your exterior holiday decorating is planning ahead. You should measure the surface area that you plan on attaching lights to. This will ensure that you have enough lights, and you’ll be able to see what sort of attachment hardware you’re going to need. By knowing what you need and buying it at the store, you can ensure a smooth light installation. Most importantly, you won’t try to rig up something at the last minute that ends up creating damage to your roof.
Attach Lights To Your Gutters
The safest place to attach Christmas lights is to your gutters. When possible, do so. However, if you’re like most people, you’ll want lights around your entire roof. This means that you’re going to have to adhere the lights to the shingles on your roof in places where there are no gutters. Do yourself a favor and purchase clips specifically designed for attaching lights to the roof. They will slide right under the shingles and secure your lights in place. Never nail or staple lights to your roof, as this will leave small holes that water can penetrate.
Hang Lights In Optimal Weather
As soon as the Thanksgiving holiday is over, many homeowners want to get their Christmas lights up quickly. However, you should never try to hang lights in icy or snowy conditions. This can create a massive safety issue for both you and your home. Give it a few days after recent snowfall to ensure that your roof is clear of snow and ice. In addition, make sure the ground is solid to secure your ladder. Avoid any weather conditions that are less than optimal as they can cause unwanted slips and roof damage to your home.
Be Mindful Of Inflatable Objects On The Roof
Adding some holiday spirit to your roof can be an exciting way to liven up your neighborhood. However, you should determine a safe way to adhere these inflatables. Avoid any sort of nailing or stapling. Instead, opt for using ties or sandbags. When installing these inflatables, try to limit the amount of time spent walking on your roof. Always walk on the center of the shingle and avoid the edges. Putting pressure on the shingles can cause damage that can lead to unwanted leaking.
Hanging Christmas lights should always be done with care. Make sure that you follow the tips above to ensure that you avoid unnecessary damage to your roof. And keep safety first! Remember that no matter how good your lights look this season, it’s never worth having to fork over money to fix your roof after the holiday season.
