Posted on November 30, 2022 by Phillip Camerer

Now that the holiday season is in full swing, many homeowners are thinking about stringing outdoor Christmas lights along their home’s roof line. According to the National Fire Protection Association, there are roughly 770 home fires caused by holiday decorations each year.

Nearly half of those fires can be attributed to decorative lighting. So this season, let’s talk about the proper installation of holiday lighting to a home roof line.

Safety First

When hanging outdoor holiday lights, safety should be your priority. It is not a one-person job. This time of year, temperatures can drop fast, and weather patterns can change quickly in the four states.

For this reason, ask for a bit of help from a neighbor or family member to hold the ladder, or if nothing else, be there in case of an emergency.

Avoid Using Nails or Staples to Secure Outdoor Light Displays

Thankful the last twenty years have brought lots of new ideas to the marketplace for safely stringing up lights along your home roof-line. Whether you plan to affix white Christmas lights, icicle lights, or net lights, there are some fantastic ways to get the job done without poking holes in your roof.

Instead of using a nail or a staple gun, check online at your local hardware store, Walmart^®, or Amazon^® for Christmas light hanging clips. You shouldn’t have any trouble finding a pack of 100 clips this time of year for under $10.00.

The creative design of these little clips attaches easily to a home’s gutters and shingles with minimal damage, and in many cases, you don’t even have to step one foot on your roof.

Light-Style Helps Determine Roof Placement

If you have a string of light bulbs, they can be attractively aligned above the gutter to stand nearly straight up. However, if you have mini lights, fairy lights, or even icicle lights, a better placement would be to affix the clips along the gutter.

Especially when it comes to those icicle lights, you don’t want those draping across the open gutter where they could get weighted down by snow or soaked by melting snow or rain.

Gutter Cleanup

Before you start hanging those lights, have a plan for where you will hang those lights. Do you plan only to decorate the front of your house or the entire roof-line parameter?

Once you’ve laid out the plan, clean out those gutters before you hang those outdoor Christmas decorations. The last thing anyone wants for Christmas is a fire hazard.

Need A Roof Inspection?

Are you looking to have your roof inspected this holiday season before hanging those decorative outdoor Christmas lights? Contact the team at Phillip Camerer Roofing by calling (417) 451-5479 today! Their hours of operation are weekdays from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.