Tis the season to be Jolly! Nothing more says the holiday season
like decorating your home for all the neighborhood to enjoy. Although you can
be festive like Clark Griswold from Christmas Vacation, let’s not go about
hanging Christmas lights like him. Yes, there is no substitute for a dazzling
display of Christmas lights. But as any homeowner will tell you, the only thing
more frustrating than hanging Christmas lights is finding out you damaged your
roof while trying to hang them.
Are you planning on hanging your holiday lights yourself this year? Before you begin, you are going to want to know a few quick tips from a Lubbock roofer that should help you avoid causing some damage to your roof and home.
Five ideas for Christmas light tips that are roof-friendly:
Secure hang points:
A surefire way to damage your roof is trying to secure and hang Christmas lights off spots that are not rated to hold any weight or take the force of a hammer driving in a nail. Do not try to use shingles or tiling to hang lights. You’ll want to test out the durability of any wood before you really get to work on it. Do not, and we stress, do not put staples in your home. Staples are made for paper. Make sure to use Christmas light hooks for lighting on your home.
Tread softly:
When or if you need to actually walk atop your roof, please do so carefully, do not rush, and do not take heavy steps. Some rooftops are not boot-friendly at all, especially pitched residential roofs. You could potentially crush or damaged your rooftop when you walk up there. If you are unsure if it is safe to walk on your roof, it is not. Find an alternative method to hang your lights that do not require endangering your well-being.
Ladder safety:
The right ladder height for your Christmas light hanging job is
crucial. Trying to overextend yourself to hang up lights will not only risk a
fall. But it could also mean you are grabbing onto your roof for balance. This
may result in possible roof damage if you slip or put too much weight onto one
spot. You may also have a friend or family member hold onto any ladder that is
leaning against a building.
Careful removal:
As tempting as it may be to yank your Christmas lights down by a loose end when the holiday season passes but, we recommend you do not. Forcing your light string down can rip tiles, shingles, and chunks of wood right out of place. When it comes time to remove your decorations, make sure you do so with as much carefulness as you used to put them up.
If you find roof damage while hanging lights:
If you happened to pull a Clark Griswold when hanging your lights and happened to damage your roof. Call the roofing experts at ABF Roofing & Foam. Also, if you are wanting more information on the “dos & don’ts” Certainteed has an awesome article for hanging Christmas lights. We hope that this blog, Christmas Light Tips That Are Roof-Friendly was helpful.