How to Hang Your Christmas Lights Without Messing up Your Roof

Christmas lights are a staple for many neighborhoods. Depending on how they’re used, these lights can cause potential damage to a roof. To avoid a hazardous roofing situation, knowing how to properly string holiday lights can help keep you and those around you safe.

Know Your Route

Having a plan is the first step to safely decorating your roof. While hanging lights may not seem like a difficult task, a plan can prevent chaos. Many people enjoy “icicle lights” or lights that hang around the rim of the roof. These lights typically dangle off the front stoop area so that people walking or driving by can see them.

When hanging roof lights, first make sure there is enough chord. This may seem like an obvious step, but many people get caught with not enough lights to make their way across the roof. On the flip side, too much cord can leave you with an abundance of lights and nowhere to put them. If you find yourself in this situation, it is important not to tack extra lighting to the roof.

Minimize Roof Time

Spending time on the roof can cause roof damage, and you may need a professional to fix your roof damage in Hanover Pa. To avoid putting too much pressure on your roof, it’s important to spend as little time as possible climbing on it. One way to minimize roof time is to de-tangle Christmas lights before hanging them.

Since most Christmas lights can be wrapped several times around trees or porches, their cords are likely to become tangled. When sorting out a long line of lights, make sure the cord is not plugged in.

Do Not Use Staples

Using staples or nails to tack up Christmas lights can be dangerous. Not only can this be potentially harmful for electrical purposes, but the roof may also suffer. Stapling lights into a shingle will disrupt the integrity of the roof.

Damaged shingles can lead to a variety of problems down the road. One of the main issues with damaged shingles has to do with leakage. If shingles are not properly intact, water can seep through the shingles causing potential rot and mold. If this is not fixed, leaks can occur inside the house or building.

Plastic Clips Can Help

Stringing Christmas lights through plastic clips can make decorating a roof easy. These clips are designed to be temporarily attached to shingles. Because they are easy to remove, shingles are less likely to become damaged in the process.

Plastic clips can prevent holes in the roof. If a roof is not sealed and secured properly, this can lead to water leakage and rot. Preventing moisture is a top priority when maintaining a safe and efficient roof that will last through the winter season.

Conclusion

If you are concerned about your roof around the holidays, roofing companies in York Pa can help identify any particular problems or provide advice for properly decorating your roof. To maintain an already sound roof, precaution and preparation can protect the integrity of any roof.