Can you believe the holiday season is already upon us? Christmas is right around the corner and decorating is in full swing for most homeowners! It’s time to swap those hay bales, fake spider webs, and pumpkins for twinkling lights, tinsel, and poinsettias.
Some homeowners string lights from their roofs and gutters, while others light up bushes and trees, staying away from hanging lights on higher surfaces. If you enjoy hanging Christmas lights around the top perimeter of your home, we’re glad you’re here. We’re going to share some tips for safely hanging Christmas lights on the roof and gutters so you can be safer – continue reading to learn more.
Keep an Eye on the Weather
Colorado weather conditions here in Denver, Colorado Springs, Littleton, and surrounding areas during winter can be extreme, averaging over 56 inches of snow annually. We also get occasional freezing rain, ice storms, and frigid temperatures that make Colorado known for its intense winters. Hanging up lights on the top perimeter of your house can be dangerous since a ladder is required. Therefore, you’ll want to take every measure to be as safe as possible.
Plan the day you string up the lights to be clear and sunny. Ideally, it’ll be before snowfall so the roof isn’t slick. Some homeowners scale the roof to hang lights from the roof and gutters, while others stick to climbing up and moving along a ladder. Whichever you choose to do, keep an eye on the weather, and don’t put yourself at risk of injury from a slick walkway or icy roof.
Choose the Right Lights
When shopping for Christmas lights to hang outdoors, make sure you purchase ones for outdoor use. The difference between indoor and outdoor lights is that the bulbs in outdoor lights can be exposed to moisture while indoor bulbs shouldn’t be. Christmas lights will be exposed to all sorts of winter precipitation here in Colorado, from heavy snow to ice storms and freezing rain. In addition to choosing outdoor lights, grab some with the UL seal on the package. The UL seal means that that pack of lights meets the safety standards of the Underwriters Laboratory and is ideal for consumer use.
Extension Cord Safety
The most rewarding part of hanging Christmas lights is when you plug in the extension cord and see your sparkling display. Whether your home is big or small, if you’re hanging lights from the roof or gutters in addition to some inflatables or animatronics, you’ll need to use an extension cord to plug everything into one power source.
Whether you’re more conservative with Christmas lights or more of a Clark Griswold, always use an outdoor extension cord. You’ll want to ensure that your outdoor extension cord is kept away from snow and puddles to keep it away from direct moisture. Some outdoor moisture is fine, but you don’t want to submerge the extension cord in any precipitation.
Roofs & Gutter Christmas Light Safety
As formerly mentioned, use caution when hanging Christmas lights from the roof and gutter system. While it’s not recommended to scale your roof to hang Christmas lights, we understand most homeowners do. Follow the tips below to stay safer this holiday season:
- Avoid walking upright to reduce your chance of severe injury; climb about on all fours, staying low and close to the roof.
- Wear shoes with a grip, avoiding shoes with flat soles and no grip.
- Do not use staples for hanging lights; opt for light clips or mounting tape that can be easily removed with no damage
- Ensure your ladder is safely propped up against the roof with a clear area underneath
If you’re planning on hanging Christmas lights from the gutters, safely attach gutter clips and hang lights from them. Be sure the area under and around your ladder is free of clutter and that you’re safe climbing up and down the ladder.
If you have traditional, open-top gutters or gutter screens or filters installed on your half-round gutter system, you’ll want to make sure that they’re free of debris before hanging Christmas lights. Gutters with debris can get heavy, causing them to sag and overflow, and adding Christmas lights will add additional weight that the gutter system may not be able to support resulting in the gutters sagging, tearing away from the home, or overflowing.
Cleaning your half-round gutters and gutter screens/filters before hanging Christmas lights is recommended, but no homeowner likes the task. Luckily, with the K-Guard System, you will never need to clean the gutters again! Our gutter product has a curved hood that keeps all debris out, only allowing water to enter the system. K-Guard will never clog, sag, or tear away from your home, something traditional gutter systems often do. Our gutter guards pair well with Christmas lights; you can use adhesive clips or clips under the gutters.
Contact our team today to learn more about the K-Guard System, or call (970) 432-8093. K-Guard is the premiere gutter company in Colorado, providing a leaf-free gutter solution for homeowners for many years. We proudly install the K-Guard Gutter System across the state of Colorado including, but not limited to, the following locations: Denver, Colorado Springs, Littleton, Centennial, Aurora, Boulder, Castle Rock, Broomfield, Fort Collins, and so many more!
