The holiday season is finally here! Across Maryland, from Crownsville to Annapolis, we are seeing our neighborhoods start to twinkle with festive cheer. At Colonial Roofing Co., we love this time of year. For over 40 years, we’ve had the privilege of driving through the communities we serve and seeing the beautiful displays you create.
However, as your local roofing experts, we also know that the excitement of decorating can sometimes lead to accidental damage to your home’s exterior. The last gift anyone wants this season is a roof leak caused by a rogue staple or a damaged gutter.
To help you keep your home merry, bright, and watertight, here are our top tips for hanging holiday lights without damaging your roof or gutters.
1. Put Down the Staple Gun (and the Hammer!)
It might be tempting to secure that string of lights with a quick staple or nail, but this is the number one way homeowners inadvertently damage their roofs. Every staple or nail creates a tiny hole in your shingles, fascia, or wrapping. Over time, moisture creates a path through those holes, leading to rot and leaks that can spoil your holiday fun.
The Pro Solution: Use plastic roof and gutter clips. These inexpensive clips are designed to latch onto your gutters or slide under the edge of your shingles without penetrating the material. They are easy to install, easy to remove, and keep your warranty intact.
2. Stay Off the Roof (Especially in the Morning)
Unless you are Santa Claus, walking on a roof in December is risky business. In Maryland, early morning frost can make roof surfaces incredibly slippery, posing a serious safety hazard to you.
Furthermore, walking on asphalt shingles when they are cold and brittle can cause them to crack or lose their protective granules.
The Pro Solution: Do as much work as possible from a sturdy ladder resting on solid ground. If you use an extension pole to hang lights on high peaks, you can achieve that professional look without ever leaving the ladder.
3. Be Gentle with Your Gutters
Your gutters are designed to channel water away from your home, not to hold the weight of heavy icicle lights or animatronic displays. Hanging heavy decorations on aging gutters can cause them to sag or pull away from the fascia board, leading to drainage issues when the snow eventually melts.
The Pro Solution: Test the weight of your lights and clip them to the securest points of the gutter lip. If your gutters feel loose or wobbly while you are clipping lights, take note!
4. While You’re Up There… Look Closer
One of the benefits of hanging lights is that it gets you up close and personal with your roofline—a place most homeowners rarely look closely at.
As you are clipping up your lights, keep an eye out for:
- Loose or missing shingles.
- Granules building up in the gutter trough.
- Cracked caulk around windows or flashings.
- Gutters that are pulling away from the house.
We Are Here to Keep Your Holidays Hassle-Free
If you spot an issue while you’re decking the halls, don’t worry. We’ve been Anne Arundel County’s trusted roofing neighbor for decades, and we are here to help.
Notice a loose shingle or a sagging gutter while hanging your lights? Call us for a quick repair before winter really sets in.
From our family to yours, we wish you a safe, happy, and brightly lit holiday season!
Contact Colonial Roofing Co.
- Phone: (410) 729-3550
- Web: www.colonialroofingco.com
- Service Area: Serving all of Anne Arundel County and surrounding areas.
