December 6, 2022

Holiday Roof Safety Tips

The holiday season has begun! For many homeowners, it’s time to bring down the Christmas lights and turn your house into a winter wonderland. If only it were that fast and straightforward, though. Of course, you need to keep some things in mind while putting up your lights and decorations. Best Roofing has some holiday roof safety tips to prevent unnecessary doctor trips or ER trips right before the holidays!

The tips you’ll find below will impress everyone in the neighborhood with how safe and straightforward your installation day went.

For Best Roofing, Safety Comes First

From December to February, most home accidents occur due to holiday decorations, whether that has to do with lights hung on the house or candles catching something on fire.

Shockingly, Around 4,000 injuries a year have been reported due to extension cords alone.

Here are some helpful tips to keep you and your family on the path to a safe and happy holiday season.

Remove damaged strands of lights to reduce the risk of shortage or fire.
Only use lights that have been tested and are appropriate for the task.
Please ensure the extension cords you use are rated for how you plan to use them. Plugging in more than one strand can be hazardous if not done correctly.
Indoor and outdoor lights go through strict testing. Red labels are meant for outdoor use, and green ones are for indoor use.
Finally, use GFCI outlets for all lights.

Gearing Up for Roof Safety

To reduce the risk of holiday roofing accidents, below are a few tips you should consider when getting on your roof.

Wear shoes with soft rubber soles that provide extra traction and keep mud and dirt off your shoe’s bottom.
Using a tool belt to put your tools in and other decorating clips and necessities is recommended.
It would be best if you never took up staple guns, nails, or strong glues onto the roof. Instead, fasten your holiday decorations to your roof or siding with plastic clips and hooks that can be put back into a storage bin once the holidays are over. There are even magnetic clips that easily attach to metal gutters and the eaves of your roof.

Roof Safety: The Importance of a Clean Roof

A clean and clear roof is one of the most important things to start with before putting up your holiday lights. No matter how many things you want to put on top of your roof, and as they say, “the more, the merrier,” it’s best to always start by checking the safety of your roof before getting up there and making any big decisions. A clean roof will help to prevent decoration accidents.

So, this year, make sure your roof is free of debris, dirt, leaves, and other materials that could pose a hazard.

Another hazard that does not look as obvious is mold. Ensure your roof has no mold that could be a substantial slipping hazard. You see, not only is mold harmful to your roofing material, but it is very wet and slimy when touched or stepped on.

Roof Safety: Clear Gutters for Best Results

Cleaning your downspouts and gutters before winter is inevitable, so you might as well do it before you get up there and hang your Christmas lights.

The main reason your home has gutters is to control the water around your home. When those gutters and downspouts get blocked by acorns, leaves, twigs, and different kinds of debris, it prevents them from performing at their best.

After spending all of that time hanging up your lights, the last thing you want to do is for them to come tumbling down because you didn’t clean your gutters first. Not to mention, there are also many other benefits from cleaning them before the cold weather creeps in.

DIY Tips for Cleaning Gutters Yourself

So, are you up to the task of cleaning out those gutters? Good for you! Here are a few recommendations to get the job done efficiently and safely.

1| Just like you would when you go to hang your Christmas lights, ensure your ladder is sturdy and in a good position before cleaning out your gutters. And it’s also best to still have a helper around if you need a hand.

2| Cleaning out your gutters is not fun, and it’s a messy job, so make sure you dress for the occasion and wear work pants, a long sleeve shirt, and gloves.

3| To get the most debris out of your gutters, use a small scoop made for gutters that you can find at your local hardware store. Still, if you don’t feel like buying anything, you can use something lying around the house, like a spoon or a sandbox shovel.

4| Lay out a tarp underneath the area you’re cleaning, so all the debris falls into one place, and it’s an easy cleanup.

Then if the task looks insurmountable, or you would much rather go Christmas shopping, we get that. Give Best Roofing a call to get the job done for you!

Roof Safety: Hanging Christmas Lights

Make Sure Lights Work

Now that you’ve done all that work to prepare your roof and clean your gutters, you next want to ensure the lights and decorations aren’t damaged and have no frayed cords or wires. Do so on the ground rather than while you are on the roof or a ladder.

Secure Your Lights

First things first, never install Christmas lights on your roof if it is snowing or raining. Clear weather is best.

When hanging Christmas lights, use plastic clips instead of staples or nails. You could use a staple gun, but that poses more risks to you and makes it difficult for them to be removed compared to the plastic hooks. It really is the easiest way.

Deciding What Time of Day to Accomplish the Task

Most people want to wait until the sunshine has gone down, so it’s cooler for them when they’re up on the roof. Then after they have finished their project, they can see all their hard work come to life.

But waiting until dusk is more dangerous because the area you’re working in is not lit up, and there is a much greater risk of slip and fall. Set aside a good portion of your day, check the weather, and take your time completing this task.

Roof Safety: Using a Ladder

Over 35% of holiday injuries include those from a roofing accident. People have fallen from their roofs and have fallen from their ladders. Unfortunately, this happens so often that you can find guidelines on how to use a ladder safely on the side of your ladder.

Here are some of the top tips for ladder safety.

Key Ladder Safety Tips

Ensure the ladder is set up on a level and a flat surface like a sidewalk or a driveway.
Keep the ladder away from any electrical equipment or power lines.
Stay clear of doors that may be opened while you are on the roof.
Make sure your ladder is sturdy and designed to support the weight of your body and the decorations you’ll be carrying up.
A fiberglass or wooden ladder is preferred to an aluminum one.
A ladder should be set up at a 75-degree angle and extended at least three feet over the roof line or from your working surface.

Finally, while you’re on the roof, it would be a great idea to have a helper or spotter to hand you things or keep an eye on your safety. The buddy system works! You surely don’t want to be hurt or stranded on the roof or on the ground.