With Thanksgiving behind us, the holiday season is going into full swing. Though more and more homeowners are getting ahead of the pack by putting up their Christmas/holiday decorations days or even weeks before Thanksgiving, most of us, wait until after turkey day has come and gone before the real work starts.
Some people really get into the spirit, spending thousands on lights and technical equipment to really put the magic into the season. Others throw up a few inflatables and call it a day.
For those that go all out, some will want to decorate the roof as well, attaching and installing all kinds of things from full size Santa sleighs, with reindeer and all to elaborate lighting rigs that add another dimension to an already impressive display. These can be done, with a lot of work and careful planning but for the everyday homeowner, extreme caution should be exercised.
Your roof is a carefully planned and installed part of your home designed to protect it from the elements. Just climbing onto it is dangerous and modifications of any kind, even hanging a tether onto a single nail, can cause thousands in damage if not done properly. Before you drive that nail or attach that decoration using staples, know the consequences.
A Hole Is A Hole And Is Going To Leak
The number one rule of attaching anything to your roof is to not put holes in it. It doesn’t matter if they are small holes, a hole is a hole and it will cost you. Even small nail or even staple holes will grow over time and the water that gets in will cause even more damage.
There are ways to attach your decorations without making holes and damaging your roof. You can use clips rather than staples for lights and you can leave the big, heavy decorations for the lawn. If you must have something big on your roof, use inflatables, they weigh considerably less and can be attached with clips and twine. Some inflatables have wooden frames that weigh them down without being too heavy. Even sandbags can cause damage by adding too much weight, so if you find yourself needing more and more to weigh decorations down, it’s probably best to put it on the lawn.
Shingles are not designed to support the weight of things sitting on them, avoid putting figurines, statues, even cutouts on your roof. Anything that touches the shingles is likely to damage them, so unless you are planning on replacing them soon anyhow, it’s best to design your display around them.
The holiday season is a happy time and decorations are a large part of that. If you’re decorating your home this year, please be careful, especially if you’re decorating your roof. Don’t put anything on the shingles, don’t poke holes anywhere, and don’t go up there without the proper safety equipment. When in doubt, call an expert, your local roof contractor will be happy to answer any questions you may have about your roof.
In Metro Atlanta, call Atlanta Roofing Specialists at 770-419-2222 for a free estimate or if you have questions about avoiding damaging your roof this holiday season.
Picture by Rona Proudfoot via Flickr published under Creative Commons licence CC BY-SA 2.0
