It’s that time of the year again! The season of warm chocolate chip cookies, cozy sweaters, and twinkling lights has arrived. Speaking of twinkling lights, you’re probably considering putting up some on your structure to celebrate the season. We’re all for decorating. It’s so much fun to drive around town and look at all the brightly lit houses and buildings. Although decorating is our favorite part of the Christmas season, it’s also our least favorite when done incorrectly. Putting up lights and decorations can be detrimental to your structure when using the wrong technique or materials. To ensure your structure stays damage-free this year, we’re sharing our best tips for safely putting up Christmas decor.
Don’t use staples to put up Christmas decor:
Although staples make unnoticeable holes in your roof, they can still cause damage. Even the smallest of holes allow water to seep in when it rains, which will weaken your roof over time. Additionally, staples cause your shingles to lose granules. In turn, the lifespan of your roof is greatly affected, and you will need a replacement much sooner than expected.
Use anchors and clips to put up Christmas decor:
Thankfully, there is a cost-effective and easy alternative to metal staples. Plastic roof clips can be found at your nearest home improvement store to safely put up your Christmas lights. These clips don’t leave any holes on your roof and are easy to install and remove.
Don’t lean your ladder against your gutters:
Unless you’re 10 feet tall, you’re going to need a ladder to put up your Christmas lights. Instead of resting your ladder against your gutters, find a sturdy gutter-free section of your roof to rest the ladder safely.
Don’t put heavy weight on your roof:
Although a small inflatable or two on the roof wouldn’t hurt your structure, adding in any heavy statues or heavy inflatables can be very damaging. Too much weight on your roof can result in cracks and dents.
Securely tie your inflatables:
The winter winds are no joke. A strong gust of wind can easily cause your inflatable to fly away from your lawn and hit your structure if not secured properly. Therefore, for added security, we suggest weighing down your inflatables with sandbags and tying them securely to your lawn with durable pegs.
Has the damage been done?
If you’re one of those early decorators and you didn’t use safe practices to put up your Christmas decor, don’t fret! Call a TSpark expert today to inspect your structure for any damage caused by the decorations to solve any issues before they become worse.
TSpark Enterprises, headquartered in Tallahassee, Florida, offers a wide range of roofing and construction services in the North Florida and South Georgia area. Visit our website or call (850) 766-1340 to get a free estimate and embark on your construction journey today!