How to Hang Christmas Lights Without Damaging Your Roof

Decking the halls is a festive tradition, especially when it comes to hanging holiday lights. But that being said, don’t let your annual decorating spree deal serious damage to your home this winter, as it does for so many other homeowners. Hanging Christmas or other holiday lights might be one of the most festive and joyous times of the year, but if you don’t do it right, you might pay for it dearly later when you need an expensive roof repair. Here is how to hang your Christmas lights without damaging your roof.

Don’t Use Nails or Staples

Have you ever seen National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation? If so, you may recall Clark Griswold putting up his lights using a staple gun. Do not do this! Not only is there tremendous danger of a staple puncturing the shielding around your lights, creating a short that can spark and start a fire, but you’re also doing huge damage to your roof. Staples put holes in your roof that turn into leaks. If you staple into the eaves on your roof, the holes could lead to increased wear and rotting, causing them to fall apart and lose their effectiveness faster.

Plastic Clips Are Your Friend

Instead of staples, screws, or nails, several manufacturers make durable plastic clips that latch on to the gutters on your eaves or even to the tiles on your roof themselves. There are all-in-one clips that go on your shingles or gutters, clay tile roof clips, eave clips, and even clips for placing lights along the ridge of your roof. Using these options makes putting up your lights a breeze and puts significantly less strain on your roof itself.

Don’t Walk On Your Roof

Roof tiles are made to withstand the pummeling they receive from the elements for as long as possible, including extensive ultraviolet light form the sun, wind, rain, and snow. They’re not designed to withstand a person walking on them. Walking on your roof can cause tiles to crack, shingles to tear, and leaks to form. Shingles are a little more durable to foot traffic, depending on their age. However, you should avoid walking on your roof as much as possible to prevent the need for serious repair work.