Hanging seasonal decorations is a task that’s both fun and time-consuming. It’s exciting to finally plug in your lighting design and see your home shine brightly for the holidays, but it can be exhausting to try to get all those decorations hung up.
It’s even more exhausting (and downright draining!) to find that your best efforts have resulted in roofing damage.
Thankfully, you can avoid roof problems and still get the inviting seasonal look your neighbors will envy and your children will love. What should you do?
Plan it Out
It’s important to plan your decorating design before you begin hanging lights, especially if you’ll be climbing ladders to get near your roof. Make sure you measure your roof and ensure you have enough decorations so that you don’t come up short in the middle of hanging.
Gather the Right Supplies
Make sure you’re only hanging seasonal decorations outdoors that are meant for the outdoors. Outdoor lights are weatherproof and won’t short out when they get wet.
Get in the Holiday Spirit, Safely
It’s important for your home to look beautiful for the holidays. It’s also important to protect your roof from damage. But your safety is the most important factor in the equation.
Make sure you have a sturdy ladder that you can safely anchor to the side of the house. Wear sturdy shoes as well. Try to have a partner to help you so you’re not attempting to do too much yourself. You can use a harness too to keep yourself from falling — that will give you an extra level of security.
No Nails!
Whatever you do, never nail lights or decorations to your roof or siding. Nails create holes, and holes mean leaks. Using nails will inevitably lead to water damage.
What you can use are clips that are specifically designed to keep your holiday lights securely fastened to your roof. They clip onto your gutters or shingles and don’t affect your roofing materials or interfere with your warranty.
Avoid Chimneys, Vents and Satellite Dishes
Your roofing system is important to the integrity of your home, and that’s why you need to avoid hanging decorations on chimneys, vents or satellite dishes. If one of these fixtures is damaged, it can seriously damage your shingle coverage.
Don’t Take Shortcuts
When it’s time to take down holiday lights, don’t just yank them down. Carefully remove each strand the same way you put it up: slowly and methodically.
Getting up close and personal with your roof while hanging seasonal decorations might make you realize how important it is to have a professional conduct an in-depth roofing inspection. If your roof needs some TLC this holiday season, you know who to call: the Roof Doctor.