Don’t Decorate Your Roof Until You Read These Tips

Injuring yourself while decorating your roof is a surefire way to put a damper on the holidays. Follow these 11 tips—endorsed by San Francisco roofing experts—to stay safe while making your roof look great this season.

1. Test Your Ladder
Be sure your ladder is in good shape and is of sufficient height to reach your roof safely.

2. Test Your Lights
Before ascending to the roof, test your lights to make sure they are not malfunctioning.

3. Examine Your Cords
Another critical step is to examine your electrical cords. Do not use any that show evidence of damage or wear.

4. Make Sure You Have the Correct Exterior Lights
Not all lights can hold up to the elements. Ensure that your lights are rated for exterior use.

5. Use Bulbs with the Correct Power Rating
While it may be tempting to go for extremely bright bulbs, 7-volt and higher bulbs are vulnerable to dangerous overheating.

6. Wait for the Right Conditions to Install
If your roof is wet, icy, or snowy, do not attempt to climb onto it. Even East Bay residential roofing professionals are extra cautious in such conditions.

7. Be Wary of Leaves
Leaves can be a fire hazard, especially when they dry out. Clear them from gutters and any other areas that will be near your lights.

8. Use Hooks
To avoid damage to your roof when securing lights, Bay Area roofing experts recommend that you use hooks rather than damaging items like staples or nails.

9. Double-Check the Hooks
Once your hooks are in place, make sure they are holding the light strands snugly to the house.

10. Use a Timer
Using a timer to turn your lights off at a set time—such as bedtime—will both make the lights safer and cut down on your electricity bill.

11. Carefully Remove the Lights
Once the holiday season is over, re-check your ladder and anything else you will be using to remove the lights. Wait for dry, safe roof conditions before attempting to remove your lights.

Contact our San Francisco Roofing Experts for More Info

Most home owners don’t realize the kind of damage they have on their roof until it’s time to decorate for the holidays. If you see a lot of damage, or think it’s time for a roof inspection, get in touch with our team right away. Ben’s Roofing is a Bay Area roofing contractor that can detect roofing issues and develop a plan for repair or replacement. Get in touch with us at (510) 690-8570 or through our online contact form here to get started.