It's that time of year again; millions of DIYers and homeowners filled with the holiday spirit will be decorating their homes to celebrate the season!
PRQ Exteriors wanted to provide a brief guide on how to safely and successfully hang your holiday lights without jeopardizing your home's exterior or roofing. Read on for tips from a professional roofer on how to decorate your house with holiday cheer the right way!
How to (Safely) Hang Holiday Lights on Your Home
Right off the bat, PRQ wants to make it clear that safety should be your #1 priority when it comes to hanging holiday lights. Each year, thousands of Americans end up in the hospital from decoration-related injuries! Follow our professional tips to keep yourself (and your home) safe while decorating this holiday season.
Stay Off Your Roof While Hanging Lights
It may go without saying, but the holiday season typically brings cold temperatures, ice, and snow to Colorado. These conditions can very easily spell disaster for getting onto your roof! PRQ Exteriors wants to make it clear that you should AVOID walking on your roof to hang holiday decorations at all costs.
Not only does this put you in extreme danger, but it also adds unnecessary stress to your roofing system as it already combats sinking temperatures, snow, and ice. As possibly our most important tip, we advise that you stay off of your roof while hanging decorations!
Always Use Ladders as Directed
Also, in the name of safety, it is paramount that you use ladders as directed. When working with string lights, decorations, and other objects (like hooks, tools, etc.), it can be quite dangerous to be high up on a ladder. While working on a ladder, always have someone nearby to stabilize the ladder and keep watch in case of an accident. PRQ recommends that you follow all posted directions on your ladder and never get up onto the top step!
Utilize GFCI Outlets for All Outdoor Decorations
GFCI outlets (ground-fault circuit interrupters) are circuit breakers designed to shut off electrical power in the event of a ground fault. This is an especially important aspect to remember when hanging string lights and plugging in other electrical decorations with extension cords. Additionally, do not combine different types of lights on the same outlet, as this can overload the circuit and cause larger problems for your home's electricity.
Electrical problems are one of the main causes of accidents when it comes to holiday decorations; always consider safety precautions and develop a sound plan going into creating your holiday display!
Tips to Preserve Your Roofing When Decorating
Outside of your own personal safety, it's also important to remember that your roof nor gutters should not be tampered with in order to hang outdoor lights. Damaged roofing materials can lead to water damage, lack of insulation, and more significant problems down the road if left unaddressed. Check out some helpful tips below in order to keep your roofing in top shape while decorating this holiday season.
Use Plastic Clips to Hang Lights (Instead of Nails or Staples)
Affordable and easy to install, many large retailers offer plastic light clips for holiday light hanging. These clips can be a lifesaver for your roof, as the alternative has been for homeowners to drive nails and staples into their roofing in order to hang lights! Puncturing your roof's materials is never a good idea, and small holes can invite water damage into your roofing and home.
When hanging light strings for the holidays, ensure to make the most out of your available materials and avoid using nails and staples when working near your roof.
Never Hang Lights Directly Off Your Shingles
In a similar aspect to utilizing plastic clips for hanging lights, we strongly advise that you never hang string lights directly from your roof shingles. This can create unnecessary stress and damage to your asphalt shingles, causing them to wear out more quickly over time.
Don’t Overload Your Roof with Decorations
A classic holiday mistake made by homeowners across the country, images of Clark Griswold come to mind when you see homes' exteriors that are stuffed to the brim with decorations. However, overloading your home's exterior and roofing with holiday decorations can pose many hazards. From potential electrical problems posing a fire hazard to putting too much weight on your roof, it's often best to avoid extreme excess when it comes to decorating your home for the holidays.
Get Your Roofing Inspected Beforehand
As a homeowner, it's commonplace to let your roof go unnoticed for long periods of time. As long as your roofing system is functioning, it can be easy to assume that there are no issues with it!
However, as professional roofers, we have seen just about everything when it comes to underlying problems with roofs across the state. Before the holiday season begins and your light display goes up, it's a great idea to get your roofing inspected by a professional. This way, you can enjoy your home throughout the holidays and have peace of mind that your roof is ready for the tough weather conditions that lie ahead!
Contact PRQ Exteriors for a Complimentary Estimate
PRQ Exteriors is proud to offer free roofing estimates and inspections for all prospective clients. For all your residential or commercial roofing needs, including minor roof repairs, replacements, and complete installations, contact the experts at PRQ!
Trusted Roofing Services in Colorado Since 2014
For nearly a decade, PRQ has been serving the Greater Denver area and beyond by providing trusted roofing services to home and business owners alike. We take our reputation in Colorado seriously and bring our top-rated customer service and workmanship to every project we take on. For more information on our services and to schedule a free roofing estimate, reach out to PRQ Exteriors today!
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To discover how PRQ Exteriors can help you with your next home improvement project from start to finish, contact us today for a free consultation and complimentary estimate. We'll work with you to identify your roofing needs and develop a plan to meet them head-on!
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