6 Holiday Tips for Decorating Your Residential Roof Safely

With the big December holidays inching closer, most homeowners are eager to bring out their inner Clark Griswold and have the brightest home on the block. Extreme decorations usually involve climbing on top of the roof to add final touches.
If you plan on decorating your commercial or residential roof this year, jot down some of these safety tips from Anderson Industrial Roofing before illuminating your neighborhood.

1. Check Your Lights Before Ascension

Nothing is more frustrating than spending hours decorating your home with lights only to find out that strands have blown out in storage over the years. Before climbing your rooftop this year, take a moment to plug in your lights and test out the strands. This will save you tons of time if you find out that some of your equipment needs replacement. It also prevents unnecessary falls that could occur when trying to tear down dead bulbs in a rush!

2. Secure Lights to Your Residential Roof with Hooks

Nails and staples are some of the worst materials to use when securing holiday lights. The permanent damage to your roof will lead to an eventual repair that could take a chunk out of your next holiday’s savings. We suggest using plastic hooks that will help reduce fire risk and unnecessary damage to your home or building structure.

3. Avoid Fire Hazards

With holiday lights in use, fire hazards are always a possibility. Unfortunately, the roof is usually the first casualty in a holiday malfunction. This hazard can be avoided easily by:

• Clearing out gutters regularly of dried leaves and debris
• Using holiday lights that are under 7-Volts

4. Don’t Just Use Any Ladder

Before climbing the roof, make sure that your ladder is sturdy and tall enough to allow you to safely hang your lights. Stretching from the top of a ladder to perfect decorations is never a risk to take. Test your ladder out and ensure that you can comfortably reach your decoration destination.

5. Avoid Unsafe Christmas Decorations for Your Roof

Although your roof decorating ideas may be extremely creative, keep in mind there should be limitations. There are several unsafe decorations that could cause unnecessary weight or could create potential hazards if they fall.
While they may look great in general, avoid decorating your roof with inflatable figures or large plastic figurines.

6. Always Ask for Help

It’s always better to be safe than sorry. Whenever you have to make a trip on top of your roof, always have someone to help you set up decorations. You may be the artistic leader, but they can help you sturdy your ladder, carry tools, and get help if something goes wrong.

Need a Residential Roof Repair This Winter? Anderson Industrial Roofing Has You Covered

If you’ve gone up on your roof to start decorating and notice that your shingles are damaged from prior holiday attempts, it may be time to look into roof repair or replacement. Anderson Industrial Roofing has the experience to handle commercial and residential roofing jobs. Ring in the new year with a new roof! Contact us today to schedule an inspection and consultation.