HANGING CHRISTMAS LIGHTS WITHOUT DAMAGE
Everyone loves the allure of Christmas lights. From the twinkling white to the multi-colored, there are many options these days for hanging Christmas lights or putting up a festive holiday display, especially on one’s house.
However, before the display comes to the preparations and there are some precautions you should take to ensure those twinkling beauties don’t damage your roof come spring- leaving you with costly repairs.
First Tip
First and foremost, use proper safety precautions when climbing ladders and walking on rooftops. We don’t recommend walking around on your roof due to safety concerns- if you have high peaks or hard to reach areas that you want to be decorated, leave that to a professional. Not only can you end up with a broken leg (or worse!) but you can damage shingles by too much walking and moving, which could turn into costly repairs.
When climbing ladders remember, gutters are not as strong as you think they are! Do not lean your ladder on your gutters. It isn’t safe for you or the gutters, and if the gutter were to break- you’re going down with it!
Install
As for the install itself- USE LIGHT CLIPS! As tempting as it may be, do not hang lights with screws, nails or a staple gun. This is not only a hazard but attaching lights this way to your shingles can cause leaks- something you definitely do not want to deal with. There are many types of light clips available for use on gutters or brick and can hold many different kinds and styles of lights. An easy way is to attach the clips to the lights on the ground before climbing the ladder.
When it’s time to remove the lights, take your time. Don’t pull on the lights to remove them from the clips. This can damage the shingles or gutters where you’ve attached them (not to mention the lights themselves)- and you don’t want any unwanted roofing bills to come spring!
Hanging holiday lights can be a fun Christmas tradition every year, just make sure to use safety precautions to ensure yourself and your roof, stay safe while you enjoy your festive displays!
Call Us Today
If you are in need of roofing, windows, siding or gutter work, please contact us today and set up an appointment with one of our Omaha roofing professionals. McKinnis is safely serving the Blair, Omaha, and Lincoln areas, and we would be happy to help you with your next home exterior project!