Putting lights and other decorations on the roof of your home may be a holiday tradition for your family. Some people put up only a few, while others try and outdo the Griswold family each year. No matter where you fall on this line, you need to be careful. Your roof is not meant to have a bunch of nails stuck into it or things screwed down into it, and still hold its integrity. You need to put decorations up carefully and with planning.
Preparing for Roof Decorations
If you are going to be nailing or screwing anything into your roof this holiday season, make sure you plan ahead. Put the nails or screws where they are going to do the least amount of damage, and make sure you close the holes as you put the decorations up. A screw may not leave much of a gap between itself and your shingles, but it is a gap nonetheless. If you put the screw into your roof through a dollop of silicone, this can seal the gap before it can let any moisture in and damage your home.
Staples should never be used to tack lights or decorations to your roof. They are dangerous, difficult to seal up, and quickly rust. This can cause a lot of issues not only with your shingles, but also with the felt under-layer and the wood beneath that. You should always opt for plastic clips when putting up holiday lights, when you can. These slide onto your shingles, and cause no damage to the shingle when used properly. They lift the shingle slightly, but typically not so much as to cause any type of water seepage into your home or up into the layers beneath that shingle.
Don’t Forget Your Gutters, As They Need Attention, Too
Gutters are great for putting up a few lightweight lights. However, if you overload them, it is going to put a strain on them. You need to put up only a few light things, or you need to put up brackets that reinforce the amount your gutters can hold. Ideally, you shouldn’t put anything on the gutters that may strain them, but it is hard to figure out just how much weight would equal strain to your gutters, since each set is slightly differently.
After the Holidays, Remember to Take the Decorations Down At Your Earliest Convenience
You need to also make sure that once you have the decorations and lights put up, you enjoy them while they are up and remove them as soon as the weather allows. Typically, the winters in Huntsville aren’t too bad, and you can get up there to remove the decorations shortly after the holiday season is over. The longer the decorations are left up, the more potential for damage there is. Do what you can to take down as much as you can as soon as possible, leaving behind only what you can’t safely remove until Spring.
If you are not sure what your roof can handle, call in your local Huntsville roofers. They can look at your roof and look over your gutters, and give you a very good idea about the health of your roof. If your roof is looking great, then you will have a lot more freedom than if your roof is looking weak in a few spots. Plus, then you can tend to any weak spots before the cold weather comes in full-force. Call Quality Roofing, LLC, and let them take a peek at your roof before you set your holiday decorations up this year.
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