It may be the most wonderful time of the year, but installing festive lights on a home can be a headache and potentially cause damage to your roof. Avoid the hassle and make decorating more enjoyable with these tips for contractors to share with their customers to avoid roof damage.
- Don’t let your shingles jingle. Never hang Christmas lights from your shingles. To properly put up lights, they need to be secured to something (that’s why it’s so easy to wrap them around trees). Making even the tiniest of holes in a shingle or roof component will let moisture or leaks in and potentially rot the roof. The best way to put up lights is with clips that hang from the gutter or eaves. Also, before you even climb up to work, untangle the strands and test them to make sure they all light up.
- Don’t let ‘er rip. We know you don’t want to be that house that leaves decorations up until summer, but don’t dissemble hastily either by pulling lights off the roof from the cord. This can cause damage to the gutter or potentially your shingle if you didn’t clip them correctly in the first place. Take the time to remove each clip individually. It’s cheaper than replacing gutters or shingles.xmas.lights
- Avoid the shock. Make sure decorations, including inflatable items, are away from power lines and plugged into a portable outdoor circuit. In addition, don’t overload the breaker, which can be a potential fire risk.
- Bring a buddy. Another person should be on hand to help secure the ladder, carry items, or to help in case of an injury or emergency.
- Call a pro. We know most people don’t have extra money lying around during the holiday season, but if you want elaborate decorations, are not comfortable on a ladder, or have areas that are hard to access, it’s best to leave it to a professional to install lights properly without risking damage to the roof—or yourself.
By sharing these tips you can help protect a homeowner’s biggest investment from damage and allow them to safely bask in the season’s glow.