Hanging Holiday Lights Without Damaging Your Roof

In November and December, more than 15,000 injuries are attributed to holiday decorating, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. You might be feeling a hankering for twinkling lights now that the holiday season is upon us, but make sure that you don't get so carried away with the holiday season that safe practices are neglected. The following tips will help ensure that you and your roof stay safe during the holiday season

Before You Begin

• If you're on the roof, untangle strands of lights to save yourself a lot of time and effort.
• Before hanging your lights, check for bad bulbs, frayed wires, and lights that flicker. There is a potential for a fire hazard if these signs indicate electrical damage.
• Be sure to use extension cords that are rated for outdoor use.
• You must set your ladders upon solid ground and make sure they are in good condition.
• Try not to extend your arm beyond the natural reach of your arm when hanging lights from a ladder.

Up On The Housetop

When you are planning your holiday decorations, ask yourself, "Would Clark Griswold do this? " If the answer is yes, most often it's not a good idea-especially when stapling lights to your roof.

Hanging holiday lights is easiest when you attach them to your roof shingles, gutters, and eaves with plastic clips. Most Home improvement or large retail stores carry plastic clips suitable for use with holiday lights. They are easy to install and remove, inexpensive, and readily available. You can avoid puncturing your roof's shingles and gutters when you use plastic clips instead of traditional nails or staples. Even a tiny hole in a shingle can cause moisture to seep inside, potentially causing damage to the roof. Staples and nails can also puncture your lights' wires or wear down their insulation, which may lead to electrical problems.

Using zip ties and sandbags or tying them to a chimney or other structure can provide additional support for other rooftop fixtures you intend to use. It is possible that your roof could be damaged if the fixtures are not properly supported.

You should limit how much you walk on your roof to increase the lifespan, but a few times a year, if you're careful, spending a short time on your roof won't do any harm. Walking slowly and wearing sneakers or safety shoes, or any soft shoe with good traction is a must. Working on your roof earlier in the day allows the shingles to soak up less sunlight, which can significantly increase the temperature. Direct sun exposure can heat shingles to well over 100 degrees, even on cool days.

After The Holidays

In my opinion, taking down the holiday decorations you spent so much time and energy hanging is the most annoying part of decorating for the holidays. While you shouldn't be the neighbour with holiday lights that stretch into the summer, you shouldn't disassemble your lights too quickly, either.

Avoid pulling the lights out of their clips by pulling on the wires. Lights can be damaged as well as the roof shingles, gutters, or eaves to which they are attached. Spending time and money now may save you money and time in the future.

For all your roofing needs and questions, contact us at Roof Crafters or Louisiana Landsource today for this and other great information about selling your home in Louisiana or if you are looking to buy land for sale in Louisiana.

John is an Real state blogger and marketing manager. He maintains keen interest ongoing and development within the marketing and business space.