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Its this time of the year where Florida's streets are getting illuminated with beautiful lights and decorations. Some homeowners install lights themselves, others hire a company, and some leave them all year long. Regardless, Christmas lights need to be installed a certain way in order to not damage your roof covering material. So, here’s some tips for Florida homeowners!
If you plan on hiring a Christmas light installation company:
-make sure they DO NOT rest their ladder directly on your gutters as it may dent the metal.
-make sure they utilize ladder end caps which will protect the drip edge from being scratched.
-make sure they DO NOT install any light strings or anything else on top of the roof covering material. Some companies glue clips directly on top of shingle which will damage them. Sadly, I see roof eave damages due to poor installation all the time…
If you are installing the lights yourself:
-installing permanent stainless steel hooks on the fascia board is the best way to hang lights. Once they are installed, they can be left as is for the following year! Easy peasy. Stainless steels hooks can be purchased online at a reasonable price. They are weather resistant and will not corrode as fast as other types of metal.
-if you don’t want to perforate the fascia boards, no problem! Plastic gutter hooks can do the job. Those can be purchased online or at your local hardware store. They can be installed temporarily for the holidays, then removed.
THIS IS IMPORTANT !!!
DO NOT purchase shingle light clips. These clips are meant to be inserted underneath the shingles at the eave. By lifting the first row of shingles for clip installation, it will damage the starting strip which is supposed to be sealed with roofing cement to prevent uplifting during storms. Without proper adhesion of the first row, the shingles will be more at risk of wind damages. Not good for a Floridian home...
NEVER USE tape, glue, or any other adhesives of any kind to install Christmas lights on top of your roof. Upon removal, this will tear the shingles and leave permanent damages.
Keep in mind that your safety is at risk every time you climb a ladder. Installing Christmas decorations can be dangerous so please use your best judgement during installation and never attempt doing something that can put your life at risk. Consulting with a professional company for your Christmas light installation is recommended.