As the holidays
approach, one way of showing your holiday spirit is by hanging up Christmas
lights across the roof of your home. When you decide to do this yearly activity,
there are certain safety precautions you need to take for the safety of your
roof as well as yourself. If you're trying to figure out how to hang Christmas
lights on a house properly, here is some key information about how to secure
them, safety tips and steps to follow.
Securing Christmas Lights Without Damaging Your Roof
You should
never use staples or nails on your shingles or gutters since they cause
punctures which lead to leaks. The last thing you want to worry about
during the holidays is repairing a
leaky roof.
If you're
wondering how to hang holiday lights and decorations without doing damage to
your roof, the answer to that is to use plastic clips. There are different
types of plastic clips depending on what part of the roof you want to hang the
lights on. These range from tile clips, gutter clips and shingle clips. You can
always buy all-in-one clips, which can be used for any part of the roof as the
name implies.
Safety Tips
You should try
to avoid walking on the roof as much as you can. Apart from being a safety
hazard, you can also accidentally damage your shingles if you put too much
pressure on them. This might be unavoidable if you plan on hanging lights on
the roof peak; luckily walking on the roof once a year probably won't hurt it
too much. If you do plan on walking on it, use rubber-soled shoes to avoid
slipping. Also, avoid attempts to hang them when the weather conditions are
unreliable and when it seems like it might rain or snow. Even if you're not
walking on the roof, you don't want to place a ladder on the icy or snowy
ground, since there is a chance
of slipping when climbing.
How To Hang Christmas Lights on Your Gutters
Hanging Christmas
lights on gutters isn't too difficult, but there are certain things you should
avoid so you don't accidentally damage your gutters.
Steps:
- Make sure to bring a partner with you in case any
accidents happen.
- Go to the power outlet that you plan on connecting
the extension cord to and set the ladder down nearby.
- Climb the ladder and, when you reach the gutters,
start attaching the plastic clips using only one hand. If you start at the
end of the gutters, always attach the clips a couple of inches away from
the edge.
- If you want the line to be straight and secure, so
don't attach the plastic clips too far from one another. On average it
might be around 1 foot.
- You should never be extending farther than your arm's
length. Reposition the ladder as many times as you need to during this
process.
If your home
doesn't have any gutters then you might be wondering how to hang Christmas
lights on a roof without gutters. Well, it's possible to attach the lights to
the shingles instead! The process for doing that is exactly the same as the
process for attaching them to the gutters, except you just simply attach them
to the shingles. There are certain clips that are specialized for hanging on
the shingles you can buy, otherwise, you can use all-in-one clips too.
How to Hang Christmas Lights on a Roof Peak
For better
visibility and overall appearance, you might also want to hang the lights on
the roof peak. A lot of professionals know how to hang Christmas light high on
a roof, but for the average person, it may seem daunting. Since this will
require you to walk on the roof, make sure you follow the proper safety
procedures when you do this. As a quick tip when you step on the shingles
always try to step in the center of them to reduce the stress you put on them.
Steps:
- As always bring a partner with you in case of an
emergency.
- Bring an extension ladder. Place the ladder against
your home, and when you extend it be sure to lock it in place. Your
partner should hold the ladder while you're climbing it for added support.
- Climb the ladder and when you reach the top, hold the
top rails of the ladder with both of your hands before you step out. Place
one leg around the ladder onto your roof slowly while still holding on to
it and then place the other one on it.
- If the peak is straight, then start at any edge, but
if there is any type of slope, then start at the lower peak.
- Using a shingle clip, attach it to both ends of the
shingle on the ridge. Go higher on the peak and continue attaching the
clips while you ensure the line is tight and straight.
- When you reach the other side of the peak, slowly go
down the side while attaching the lights with the clips.
Always use extra caution when moving about on
your roof. Use these
holiday-decorating tips along with our guide to get the job done. And,
while you're up on the roof, if you happen to find any damage or unusual spots,
safely climb down the ladder and give us a call.
