Staying Safe While Hanging Holiday Decorations on Your Roof

It’s time to hang your holiday decorations again, but before you do, there are a few safety tips you’ll need to keep in mind.

The holidays are here at last, and one of the best parts of the entire season is driving around and looking at all of the beautiful lights. While it’s always your best bet to hire a professional to put your lights up for you, here at Sargeant’s Roofing, we understand that most homeowners enjoy decorating their homes themselves. But before you get out your ladder and pull your twinkle lights out of storage, our roofing experts in Edmonton have a few safety tips for you:

#1. Clear your walkways.

Before you do anything else, you need to make sure that there is a secure place for you to put your ladder. Shovel any snow and break up any ice that is on your walkway. It’s also important to remove any tripping hazards you find. When you do pull your decorations out, ensure that the cords don’t create tripping hazards.

#2. Clean out your gutters.

Another step you should take before you put up your decorations is to clean out your gutters. If there are dead leaves in your gutters, adding hot lights will create a fire hazard.

#3. Make sure that you have the right ladder.

If you are getting up on your roof, then you need to make sure that the ladder you choose sits securely on the ground and is two to three rungs higher than your roof. This will allow you to easily step onto the roof. Instead of using a step ladder or a working ladder, your best bet is to use an extension ladder.

*Pro Tip: Use a bungee cord or rope to tie the ladder into one of the gutter hanger anchors. There should be one every 3 feet!*  

Infographic: More Ladder Safety Tips!

#4. Never do anything on your roof without a buddy.

Regardless of whether you are hanging decorations or inspecting your roof, you should always have a designated partner on the ground to hold the ladder. This person will not only be there to help if an accident happens, they can also hand you tools and decorations, and if you are putting up large decorations, they can help with those too.

#5. Plan ahead.

When doing anything on your roof, the goal is to get up and down as soon as possible. The last thing that you want is to spend time determining where something should go when you are already on the roof. The more time you spend on your roof, the higher your risk of getting hurt will be. Before you start putting up your decorations, plan out how you want your roof to look and where everything should go.

Rooftop Safety Tips

#6. Dress appropriately.

Last but not least, it’s important to dress appropriately when decorating your home. It’s probably going to be cold out, so you won’t want to work without a coat and gloves. However, even more important than having a coat and gloves is the shoes you choose. You want a pair that can adequately grip your roof, like work boots.

At Sargeant’s Roofing, we hope that you enjoy a safe, happy holiday season! Please feel free to contact us about any roof repairs you may need.