Decorating your roof for Christmas is a great way to get into the holiday spirit! But it can also be dangerous if you don’t know the right safety measures to take or damaging to your roof if you’re unsure how to secure the decor. The most important measure you can take is to protect yourself and your home. Keep reading to learn how to properly decorate your roof this Christmas.
Don’t Staple Lights, Use Clips
Avoid using staples, even for your most ambitious Christmas projects. Staples can damage your roof and siding, and they don’t work well, especially on fiber cement.
Instead of using old-fashioned staples, try a modern
solution like Christmas light clips. There are a variety of light clips for
different types of lighting: Most attach to your gutters and other places
around your house and can be easily removed at the end of the season. However,
you need to be careful not to weigh down gutters so much that you damage them.
An ordinary strand or line of icicle Christmas lights is fine. Never attempt to
hang large, heavy objects from your gutters.
Do Protect Shingles by Avoiding Nails
Your shingles already have a lot of work to do over the winter (putting up with cold temperatures, storms, etc.). Don’t give them extra work by nailing anything into your shingles as this can give moisture and debris entry into your home. Since weight can damage shingles, avoid putting any statues, figurines, or board cutouts on top of your roof. Consider saving these for your lawn.
Do Tie or Weigh Down Inflatables
If you look at successful roof decorating projects, you’ll notice they tend to use either lightweight frameworks of lights, or inflatable objects. Inflatable Christmas decorations are usually light enough to place on your roof, but they need to be secured correctly to avoid damage. Here are some important things to remember when deciding to use inflatable roof decorations:
- Don’t put objects on a roof with a steep slope. You want a slope significantly less than 45 degrees.
- You can tie inflatables down using clips & strong rope. If these aren’t strong enough to resist winter storms in your area, then you need to keep your roof clear.
- Some of the best inflatables use a wooden frame that can be
placed on the roof to weigh down the decorations. - Some people advise using sandbags to weigh down roof
decorating objects. However, sandbags are tough to haul up to your roof, and
can weigh enough to damage roofing materials.
Do Keep All Decorations Away from Other Objects
Don’t put your holiday inflatables or other decor near any roofing structures or standing structures. This includes chimneys (danger of burning), electrical lines (electrocution and fire), tree branches (puncture and damage), and vents (blockages).
Don’t Decorate Without a Helper
You should never attempt to be on your roof without someone
there to help you. Do not decorate your roof alone in case you or your ladder
falls, and avoid injury by lifting objects that may be difficult to carry or
too heavy to take up yourself. Having a helping hand during roof decor projects
can be the difference between successful, fun decorations and ending up
injured.
Do Check Your Roof for Damage
While you are your roof decorating, this is the perfect time to do a self-inspection of the structure. If you notice missing shingles, a buildup of moisture, damage to your gutters, or other areas that cause concern, it's time to call your roofing company.
If you notice any repairs or maintenance that may be needed this Christmas, don’t forget to call Johnson Roofing Solutions! We have offices in Panama City, Chipley and Graceville with our service area expanding from Tallahassee to Pensacola. We are fully licensed and insured, family owned and operated, and prepared to take on any roofing project from minor repairs to complete replacements or even new construction.
All of us at Johnson Roofing Solutions are wishing you the happiest of Holidays. Contact us today and let us be your solution!
