Nothing says holiday cheer quite like a house decked out in festive lights and decorations. Stringing lights from gutters and tacking them to the roof is a great way to create a festive look for your house, but doing so safely is essential. A trip to the hospital or damage to your house is one way to quickly turn into a Scrooge. To help protect your home and family through this holiday season, we’ve put together a few tips to keep in mind while decorating.
Tread Lightly
One source of major roof damage comes from walking on the roof. While we understand to properly hang lights on a roof, sometimes you need to walk on it. However, doing so lightly and softly will help minimize the damage. If you must walk on your roof, do so carefully as it won’t be a very merry Christmas if you are in a body cast.
Safety is always key when climbing on the roof. Proper shoes with great traction are recommended. Utilizing the properly sized ladder also helps minimize the chance of injury or damage.
Use Clips Not Staples
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is quite possibly one of the best holiday movies! However, Clark Griswold staples his lights to his roof and likely caused significant damage to the shingles, underlayment, and roof deck. Luckily, there are plastic temporary clips that can be used that make hanging lights on your roof safer.
If you are ready to really light up the neighborhood, use the plastic clips over staples or even nails. Be sure to also pay attention to the recommended weight load. This would save your shingles, tiles, and gutters from any damage and needing repaired during a typically expensive time of year. These clips also make removing the lights a whole lot easier than staples!
Watch Your Weight
We’re not talking about the added weight from milk and cookies this season, but the weight of everything you want to put on top of your roof. A Santa sleigh and his reindeer are very cute, but you won’t think so if they damage your roof. As these decorations sit on top of your roof, the weight can make imprints and cause damage.
Another place to watch the weight is handing items from your gutters. Typically one strand of lights hanging from the gutters is OK, you shouldn’t add much more. Garland, heavy decorations, and several strands of lights can weigh down the gutters and cause them to sag if not pulled off of the house. Just like tinsel on the tree, less is more!
Careful Removal
Even if you make it through the holidays without damaging your roof, improper removal of the lights can cause just as much, if not more damage. Yanking lights down is never recommended as it can pull shingles, tiles, and gutters off of the house with them. Removing decorations and lights with as much care as when you put them up can certainly help minimize the chance of damage.
Check For Damage
While you are putting your lights and decorations up, it is a great time to check over your roof and discover any damage. If you find any damaged tiles or potential leaks, you will want to contact your local roofer immediately. Putting decorations on an already damaged roof will cause even more damage and the need for significant repair.
Additionally, when you are taking your decorations down, check your roof again for any damage. Weather can cause lights to rub or decorations to shift throughout the month (or more) they are in place. Again, contact your local roofer to schedule an estimate for repairs.
East Valley Roofing Experts
If you are located in the East Valley, Craven Construction is here for all of your roofing needs. Whether you have discovered damage while decorating, are ready for a maintenance inspection, or have a new roof on your Christmas wish list, we are here to help! Our team is available to assess your current roof and offer you a FREE estimate. Call our office to schedule today.
Did you find damage while hanging Holiday lights?
About Craven Construction
Craven Construction is dedicated to providing our customers with honest and reliable roofing services. With over two decades of residential and commercial experience, we are here to serve you and all of your roofing needs.
Our team of experienced roofers is licensed and knowledgeable in working with all types of roofing. We offer high quality roofing services and are capable of getting your project completed in a timely, efficient manner.