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How to Safely Hang and Remove Holiday Lights

It’s the most wonderful time of year when the streets glitter and glow with holiday lights, and ample cheer permeates the year. If you are ready to deck the halls, walls, and roof with holiday lights, we are here to give you the must-know tips for hanging and removing your holiday lights so as to not damage your roof.

holiday lights

How to Hang Your Holiday Lights

To hang your holiday lights merrily and beautifully, you will need to follow this simple process!

Step #1: Choose Your Hanging Zones

We recommend laying out a design of where you plan to hang your lights, whether it is around the door, along the roof, framing windows, etc. By mapping out the design, you will determine what types of lights are needed and how many strands you need to complete the length of the desired space.

Step #2: Identify the Optimal Clips

When hanging holiday lights, you will typically use clips to keep them in place, as you never want to put holes in your roof. However, there are various types of clips available to match specific lighting techniques. For example, a few options include:

– simple hooks
– roof peak clips
– clip to the line hooks
– clip to the bulb hooks

Step #3: Check the Gutters

If you plan on adding lights to your gutter system, make sure that it is clean first! A gutter with excessive debris can become a safety hazard. Remember, even though it is cold outside, the lights will still get hot when left on for hours. Seeing that no one wants to deal with a gutter fire during the holidays, we suggest giving the gutters a good clean if needed.

Step #4: Get Hanging!

Now that you have a plan, the materials, and a clean space, it is time to get to work. We advise that all homeowners and decorators use extreme caution when on a roof, hanging or removing lights. Roofs can quickly get slick as the temperature drops, and moisture hangs in the air. When on a ladder or roof, please always have a buddy present!

How to Remove Your Holiday Lights

Once the holiday season is over, you will need to reverse the entire process you completed just a month prior to get everything back down. Before removing your lights, assess your environmental conditions. If it is snowy, wet, or freezing, you should wait. There is no shame in simply unplugging the lights and waiting for more favorable weather conditions.
When you remove your lights, make sure to have that spotter present. Additionally, while pulling the lights in one big swoop may be tempting, it can cause severe damage to your roof, siding, and gutters. You need to take your time and do it one by one!

Whoops….I Think I Damaged My Roof

It’s okay! It happens all the time! If you think you damaged your roof or gutter system while hanging or removing holiday lights, call your local roofing specialist immediately for a repair.