It’s the most wonderful time of the year and with it comes the task that you’ll either love or hate – hanging the lights to adorn the outside of your home.
At Stuart & Moffat Roofing, we’ve put together a few tips to make sure that you install your holiday lights safely without damaging yourself or your roof in the process.
Attach your lights to the eaves of your roof
Roof shingles are surprisingly fragile and should not be pulled on or used as leverage for your own weight or the weight of the lights. As they are not designed to hold this type of weight, be sure to attach your lights and any other decorations to the eaves of your roof and not your shingles themselves. If your roof is flat and has no eaves, you can use Parrot Clips, or something like them, that can go over the wall that comes up over your flat roof and attach your lights to them instead.
Don’t use staples or nails
Many a Christmas film shows people attaching their lights to their roofs with a hammer and nails, but this does not mean it is the proper practice and it should not be replicated for the sake of your roof’s health. Putting holes in your roof is never a good idea as it can very easily lead to leaks, which is definitely the last thing you want to worry about over Christmas dinner! Plastic clips that attach to your eaves or gutters are the best option for hanging your lights as they won’t damage your roof in any way.
Don’t walk on your roof
The shingles on your roof have a protective layer that when walked on can be removed quite quickly. Using a ladder is far safer, for you and your roof, but even then the proper safety precautions ought to be taken to avoid any injuries. Having someone with you to help you by holding the ladder steady and feeding you the lights bit by bit to hang up will not only make the job go by a lot faster but will also better ensure your safety.
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