EcoWatch
Facebook 573k Twitter 238k Instagram 37k Subscribe Subscribe
  • Climate
  • Energy
  • Policy
  • Renewables
  • Culture
  • Science
  • Go Solar Today
      • Top Companies By State
        • California Solar Companies
        • Texas Solar Companies
        • New York Solar Companies
        • Florida Solar Companies
        • See All States
      • Top Incentives By State
        • California Solar Incentives
        • Texas Solar Incentives
        • New York Solar Incentives
        • Florida Solar Incentives
        • See All States
      • Solar Panel Costs By State
        • Solar Panel Costs in California
        • Solar Panel Costs in Texas
        • Solar Panel Costs in New York
        • Solar Panel Costs in Florida
        • See All States
      • Value of Solar by State
        • Is Solar Worth It In California?
        • Is Solar Worth It in Texas?
        • Is Solar Worth It New York?
        • Is Solar Worth It In Florida?
        • See All States
      • Company Reviews
        • Tesla Solar Review
        • Sunrun Solar Review
        • SunPower Solar Review
        • Vivint Solar Review
        • See All Companies
      • Common Solar Questions
        • Can You Get Free Solar Panels?
        • Does Solar Increase Home Value?
        • What’re The Best Solar Batteries?
        • Can You Finance Solar?
        • Where To Buy Solar Panels?
        • Payback On Solar Panels?
      • Solar Resources
        • Interactive Solar Calculator
        • Federal Solar Tax Credit 2023
        • Best Solar Panels For Most Homes
        • Tesla Solar Roof Review
        • Cheapest Solar Panels
      • Companies Compared
        • SunPower vs Tesla Solar
        • SunRun vs Tesla Solar
        • SunRun vs SunPower
        • SunPower vs Momentum Solar
        • SunPower vs ADT Solar
EcoWatch
  • Climate
  • Energy
  • Policy
  • Renewables
  • Culture
  • Science
  • Go Solar Today
    • Go Solar Today
    • Top Companies By State
      • California Solar Companies
      • Texas Solar Companies
      • New York Solar Companies
      • Florida Solar Companies
      • See All States
    • Top Incentives By State
      • California Solar Incentives
      • Texas Solar Incentives
      • New York Solar Incentives
      • Florida Solar Incentives
      • See All States
    • Solar Panel Costs By State
      • Solar Panel Costs in California
      • Solar Panel Costs in Texas
      • Solar Panel Costs in New York
      • Solar Panel Costs in Florida
      • See All States
    • Value of Solar by State
      • Is Solar Worth It In California?
      • Is Solar Worth It in Texas?
      • Is Solar Worth It New York?
      • Is Solar Worth It In Florida?
      • See All States
    • Company Reviews
      • Tesla Solar Review
      • Sunrun Solar Review
      • SunPower Solar Review
      • Vivint Solar Review
      • See All Companies
    • Common Solar Questions
      • Can You Get Free Solar Panels?
      • Does Solar Increase Home Value?
      • What’re The Best Solar Batteries?
      • Can You Finance Solar?
      • Where To Buy Solar Panels?
      • Payback On Solar Panels?
    • Solar Resources
      • Interactive Solar Calculator
      • Federal Solar Tax Credit 2023
      • Best Solar Panels For Most Homes
      • Tesla Solar Roof Review
      • Cheapest Solar Panels
    • Companies Compared
      • SunPower vs Tesla Solar
      • SunRun vs Tesla Solar
      • SunRun vs SunPower
      • SunPower vs Momentum Solar
      • SunPower vs ADT Solar

The best of EcoWatch right in your inbox. Sign up for our email newsletter!

    • About EcoWatch
    • Contact EcoWatch
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Learn About Solar Energy
    Facebook 573k Twitter 238k Instagram 37k
    EcoWatch
    • About EcoWatch
    • Contact EcoWatch
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Learn About Solar Energy
    Facebook 573k Twitter 238k Instagram 37k
    Home Home

    10 Christmas Light Safety Tips for Hanging Lights on Your Roof

    By: Alora Rands
    Updated: November 28, 2022
    Facebook icon Twitter icon Pinterest icon Email icon
    homeowner safely puts up Christmas lights without damaging their roof
    Credit: BanksPhotos/Getty Images
    Why you can trust us

    Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions.

    Facebook icon Twitter icon Pinterest icon Email icon

    With the holiday season in full swing, you might be getting ready to hang colorful outdoor lights around your house. But few homeowners know that hanging lights can be a dangerous endeavor for yourself, your roof and your energy bills.

    Each year, more than 15,000 homeowners injure themselves as they decorate their homes for the holidays.1 With 34% of these injuries due to falling off a roof, it’s important to be safe when hanging your lights.

    And falling isn’t the only danger that plagues holiday cheer: Old and broken Christmas lights cause nearly 40% of all Christmas tree fires.2 So, if you can, we recommend investing in new, energy-efficient LED lights that are safe for your home.

    In this guide, we’ll give our best tips for safely and efficiently decorating your home for the holiday season.

    How to Protect Your Roof as You Install Christmas Lights

    Proper installation is key to hanging holiday lights without damaging your home. Many homeowners hang lights on their gutters, roof eaves and even near the first row of shingles. But in actuality, your roof type may dictate the best place to hang your lights. Before you get started with your holiday decorations, make sure your roof is ready for the weight of lights by inspecting these key areas:

    • Look for any missing shingles
    • Inspect your gutters
    • Make sure gutters are securely fastened to your roof
    • Check roof eaves and flashing to ensure that these are working properly

    Now, let’s learn how to hang lights without doing damage to your roof and home.

    Don’t Puncture Your Roof

    Many homeowners use a staple gun to easily attach lights to their homes, but these tiny punctures damage your shingles, gutters and siding. There will be holes in your home regardless of how carefully you remove them, but you will do even more damage if you rip your lights down at the end of the season.

    You can use a staple gun to attach lights to the eaves or perimeter of your roof, but this will still create holes that can’t be remedied. The safer option for hanging holiday lights is to use plastic light clips. These clips fasten to your home and do not cause any damage when attached correctly.

    If you do puncture your roof, then you may need to contact a local installer to estimate the price of roof replacement or repair.

    Don’t Pierce Your Shingles

    The main job of your roof’s shingles is to keep water out of your home, so when they get punctured, this can invite water to places it shouldn’t be. In turn, this leads to further damage that can cost you thousands of dollars.

    Any time you screw or nail into your roof, you create holes that could potentially let water in. You want to avoid making holes in your roof at all costs — especially if you have asphalt shingles — but using light clips can help you hang decorations on your roof safely.

    Use Mounting Methods That Make Sense for Your Roof

    Regardless of whether you’re hanging icicle lights, mini lights or any other type of extravagant incandescent holiday light, you’ll want to choose the right clip for your roof or gutter. Certain types of roof clips are designed with different parts of your roof in mind, so only use a mounting method that makes sense for your home:

    • All-in-one clips are best for hanging lights on shingles and gutters
    • Eave clips are best for hanging lights around the perimeter of your roof
    • Clay tile roofs require plastic clay tile roof clips
    • Parrot clips are recommended for flat roofs
    • Simple clips can be attached to gutters
    • Line clips are best for icicle lights or rope lights and attach to gutters
    • Bulb clips are best for accurately hanging holiday lights in the same direction
    • Roof peak clips are used by professional Christmas light installers and hold onto the edge of your shingle
    holiday lights are attached to roof safety and without puncturing the shingles
    All-purpose plastic light-hanging clips are available for purchase on Amazon. These versatile clips can be used on your shingles and gutters for precise light hanging. Check the price here.

    Use Clips When Hanging Christmas Lights

    It may seem like a good idea to pound nails into your roof, gutters and eaves to hang Christmas lights, but this will inevitably damage your home and create small holes that you will not be able to fix without redoing your entire exterior. Instead, use clips to safely hang lights from your roof. 

    Light clips are designed to hang on your railings, various types of gutters, roof eaves and even under shingles. Crafted with outdoor use in mind, light clips also make it easy to put holiday lights up because all you need to do is snap them to the roof of your home or any other place you choose to hang lights — no hammering or stapling required.

    Try Not to Walk on Your Roof

    If you can use a ladder to decorate your roof for the holidays, then you should never have to walk on your roof to hang Christmas lights. Especially in areas that experience heavy snow and ice, walking on your roof can be dangerous.

    If you’ve tried to hang holiday lights and your ladder just won’t cut it, then you need to take several precautions before walking on your roofline. For both your safety and the protection of your roof shingles, make sure to do the following:

    • Hang lights during sunny conditions so that you can see where you step
    • If you live in a warm location and get a lot of sun, walk on asphalt shingles with thick-soled shoes to avoid burns
    • Take your time walking so that you don’t slip and fall
    • Take no more than three short steps onto your roof
    • Avoid walking on gutters so that you don’t damage them
    • Wear shoes with soft soles — such as sneakers — to avoid damaging your shingles
    • If you have a tile roof, walk on two peaks instead of the valleys between the roof tiles

    Use LED Lights

    You should use LED lights for several reasons. First, LED bulbs are much more energy efficient than other types of holiday lights. This means they will help keep your energy bill lower over the holidays. 

    The average American uses 150 extra hours of electricity over the course of the holiday season, and depending on how many lights you use, this could add an extra $300 to $1,600 to your electricity bill.3 If you would rather save the majority of this money for holiday shopping, think about making the switch to LEDs.

    LEDs are more than just better for energy conservation; these lights are also a significantly safer option. Nearly all holiday tree fires are caused by faulty lights that overheat, and LED lights are the safest option. Instead of getting hot and overheating, LEDs remain cool to the touch. 

    Check Each Strand of Lights for Damage

    Before you spend the day hanging lights, you have to check each light for signs of damage. Because broken rope lights are a leading cause of fires during the holiday season, it’s critical that you check each light and strand for these common issues: 

    • Frayed wires
    • Broken light bulbs
    • Missing bulbs
    • Exposed wires

    Once you have looked your lights over for these common problems, you can plug your lights in and make sure each strand lights up. If you have sections that aren’t working, you can try to replace the bulbs to see if one light is the culprit. However, if your wires are exposed or frayed, it’s best to get new lights, because attempting to replace these can be dangerous.

    Consider Your Control Methods for Energy Savings

    an outdoor light timer can be used to save you money on your energy bills
    This plug-in timer easily connects to your outdoor extension cord and can be used to save you money on your energy bills. Check the price here.

    If you have to manually turn your lights on and off each day during the holiday season, then you’re bound to forget to turn your lights on, go to bed without turning your lights off, have a dark house if you’re traveling and, above all, use more electricity than your neighbors who have switched to smarter control methods.

    Instead of controlling your lights manually, consider investing in a plug-in timer that automatically turns your lights on and off at the time of day of your choosing. These simple devices connect directly to your outdoor extension cords, so they’re super easy to use — not to mention that these timers save you money on your energy bills.

    To take programmable lights another step further, you can get Wi-Fi-enabled power strips that connect to your smartphone. You can set these on a timer, but you can also control your lights directly from your phone and use sensors to turn your lights on once the sky reaches a certain level of darkness.

    a wifi outdoor outlet lets you control your hanging lights from your phone so that you can save money on energy bills
    Control your lights from your phone by using this smart Wi-Fi outdoor outlet. Check the price here.

    How to Safely Take Your Lights Down After the Holiday Season

    Once the season is over and you sadly have to take down your holiday decorations until the next year, make sure to take your time packaging your lights away. Not only does proper storage increase your lights’ lifespans, but careful storage can also save you from having to replace broken lights, prevent electrical shocks and help eliminate the possibility of starting a house fire due to faulty strands.

    Don’t Rip Lights Down

    It may seem simpler to rip your string lights down instead of taking the time to remove your light clips, but this is not advised. If you don’t carefully remove your string lights, you can damage both your lights and your roof. As you take down your lights, carefully remove the light strings from each clip and then go back to take the clips off your gutters or roof eaves. 

    Store Lights Properly for Next Season

    By taking care of your outdoor holiday lights, you can avoid having to toss yours out year after year. This not only prevents waste, but also saves you from having to spend more money on seasonal decorations. Once you have safely taken your lights down for the year, make sure to do the following so that your roof clips and string lights are ready to bedazzle your home once again the following year:

    This storage reel can be used to safely store your holiday lights for the next season. Check the price here.
    • Wrap the strands around a clothes hanger, paper towel or wrapping tube, or sturdy piece of cardboard to avoid tangles
    • Store shingle clips and gutter clips in a box and cushion them with discarded gift-wrapping materials like bubble wrap or wrapping paper
    • Use a holiday light storage reel to keep all of your clips and lights secure

    Neat storage is the key to a less frustrating experience the next time you take out your holiday lights, so take the time to store your lights properly and you’ll thank yourself later.

    Subscribe to get exclusive updates in our daily newsletter!

      By signing up, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy & to receive electronic communications from EcoWatch Media Group, which may include marketing promotions, advertisements and sponsored content.

      Alora Rands

      Home Improvement Expert

      Based in the Minneapolis area, Alora is an avid writer of both fiction and non-fiction. Alora has a bachelor's degree in psychology and a master's degree in child, family and school psychology, but she has always had a love for biology and environmental studies. Before joining EcoWatch, Alora spent her days working with children with disabilities and nights as a freelance writer of commercial, blog and technical content. When she is not at the workplace, Alora can be found hiking with her dogs, chasing sunsets with her camera or plotting her next novel.
      Facebook icon Twitter icon Pinterest icon Email icon

      Read More

      How to Protect Forest Health By Harvesting Your Own Christmas Tree
      There’s a longstanding debate surrounding what is the most environmentally
      By Olivia Rosane
      How to Shop Sustainably This Holiday Season
      Around the holidays, we buy a lot more stuff. $886.7
      By Linnea Harris
      How to Host a Sustainable Holiday Party
      It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and your
      By Linnea Harris

      Subscribe to get exclusive updates in our daily newsletter!

        By signing up, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy & to receive electronic communications from EcoWatch Media Group, which may include marketing promotions, advertisements and sponsored content.

        Latest Articles

        • Biden’s EPA Protects Alaska’s Bristol Bay From Controversial Pebble Mine
          by Olivia Rosane
          January 31, 2023
        • Study Using AI Warns We Are 10 to 15 Years From Breaching 1.5°C Paris Agreement Goal
          by Cristen Hemingway Jaynes
          January 31, 2023
        • These Artists Are Turning Their London Street Into a Solar Power Station
          by Cristen Hemingway Jaynes
          January 31, 2023
        • Emirates Successfully Tests Flying Boeing 777 Plane on Sustainable Jet Fuel
          by Paige Bennett
          January 31, 2023
        • U.S. Lawmakers Want Climate Envoy Kerry to Push Back on Naming Oil CEO as Head of COP28
          by Olivia Rosane
          January 31, 2023
        • BP Says Ukraine War and IRA Could Spur Energy Transition
          by Olivia Rosane
          January 31, 2023
        • 99% of U.S. Coal Plants Cost More to Run Than Replace With New Renewables, Study Finds
          by Climate Nexus
          January 31, 2023
        • Rare Earth Minerals Are Abundant Enough to Fuel Green Energy Shift, Study Says
          by Cristen Hemingway Jaynes
          January 30, 2023
        EcoWatch

        The best of EcoWatch right in your inbox. Sign up for our email newsletter!

          • Climate Climate
          • Animals Animals
          • Health + Wellness Health + Wellness
          • Insights + Opinion Insights + Opinion
          • Adventure Adventure
          • Oceans Oceans
          • Business Business
          • Solar Solar
          • About EcoWatch
          • Contact EcoWatch
          • EcoWatch Reviews
          • Terms of Use
          • Privacy Policy
          • Learn About Solar Energy
          • Learn About Deregulated Energy
          • EcoWatch UK
          Follow Us
          Facebook 573k
          Twitter 238k
          Instagram 37k
          Subscribe Subscribe

          Experts for a healthier planet and life.

          Mentioned by:
          Learn more