‘Tis the season to decorate your roof for the holidays, but there are certain precautions you should take to avoid damaging it.
Can you believe that Christmas is just 10 days away? If you haven’t done so already, you are probably planning on getting on your roof and hanging beautiful holiday lights and decorations, and if so, you may want to check out our previous blog to learn a few safety tips! Once you know how to keep yourself safe while hanging holiday decorations, you also need to know how to avoid damaging your roof! Here are tips for decking the halls without damaging your roof:
#1. Never try to hang lights off of your shingles.
You need to secure your lights on your roof, but your shingles are not the place to do so. If you nail or staple even a tiny hole in a shingle, it can let moisture in, which can lead to leaks and rot. Instead of stapling or nailing lights to your shingles, it’s much better for your roof to put lights up with clips that attach to the eaves.
#2. Avoid putting too much weight on your gutters.
Gutters can be a great place to attach clips to hang lights off of, but if you decide to hang lights on your gutters, you need to be very careful about how much they weigh. Adding too much weight to the clips on your gutters could lead to gutter damage. Always read the directions fully on the labels of those clips to determine how much weight they can handle, and when in doubt, hang lights from the eaves instead of the gutters.
#3. Be wary of electrical shocks.
If you have power lines near your roof, it’s important to be mindful of them when putting up your decorations. Be sure to steer clear of all power lines when putting up your decorations, and that goes for all decorations, even inflatable ones. It’s also important to ensure that you choose decorations that are meant for the outdoors and that you plug them into ground fault interrupter outlets (GFCIs). GFCIs are outlets that are designed to automatically shut off the circuit when they detect the current flowing along an unintended path, such as through a person or water. If it rains or snows, having your decorations plugged into GFCIs can protect you from shock.
#4. Take your time when you remove decorations.
Removing decorations isn’t quite as fun as putting them up, and some people try to hurry the process along by ripping the cord out of the clips or staples. This can damage your shingles and gutters, especially if your decorations weren’t clipped properly in the first place. Protect your roof by removing your decorations and clips one at a time.
The last thing that any homeowner wants is to damage their roof when trying to get into the holiday spirit, and sometimes, your best option is just to hire a professional to put your decorations up for you. If you have any questions or concerns about your roof, please give the roofing experts in Edmonton from Sargeant’s Roofing a call today!