5 Steps for Installing Christmas Lights

Christmas is getting close and once Thanksgiving has passed we’ll start breaking out the holiday lights. It never hurts to double check that you have everything in order before getting on the roof. Here are my tips for hanging Christmas lights to help avoid those frustrating mistakes that happen to all of us. If you’re interested in having your lights installed for you get in touch with us now on Our Website. We service Beaumont, Orange, Port Arthur, Port Neches, Groves, and Nederland.

Tips for Hanging Holiday Lights

1. If this is your first time hanging Christmas lights you may want to measure out the distance of your rooftop. Nobody wants to go back to the store due to a 10ft gap with no light strands left. Once a favorite type of light is chosen check to see it’s strand’s reach. Since you now know the distance of your rooftop you can purchase the correct number of strands along with the appropriate amount of rooftop clips and ground stakes. Preferably you’ll want an electronic timer so the lights do not need to be manually turned on and off. Extension cords, a 3-way outlet, and zip ties typically come in handy as well.
2. If using lights from the previous year, unroll the strands and plug them in. It’s best to test while still on the ground. The last thing you want is to have everything installed but not working properly when turned on. Next, add the clips for your rooftop light strands and stakes for the ones along the ground. Doing this step before installing lights makes the job easier. Clips can then be left attached to the lights throughout the year making setup quicker the following Christmas.
3. When it’s time to start hanging lights lay the strands across the rooftop where you plan to install them. I like to start with my beginning strand plugged in and connect them as I go as a secondary test. Remember to zip tie your extension cord to something secure like the gutter but not inside it as water flows there. When connecting two strands tie a loose knot between the ends and plug them in. This keeps them from falling apart easily during removal after the holidays. When clipping the lights to the roof I prefer to use the shingles as I can point my lights straight up to contrast with the night sky. If this is not possible clip the lights to your gutter horizontally.
4. For ground lights use the stakes mentioned earlier and try your best to match the roof light spacing. This portion has the potential to become unlevel easily so keep an eye out as you add each light. When finished take a step back and find any stakes that were pushed in too far or not enough. If you have columns, trees, bushes, etc. then this is where the zip ties come in handy. Take 2-4 ties and combine them together to fit around the top of what you would like to wrap with lights. Once you have the light strand inside the ties tighten them until it is snug. Wrap the lights and do the same to the bottom so it doesn’t unravel.
5. Lastly, when it’s time to remove the lights you hung go grab some wire cutters to make things quick. If you bought reusable ties you should be able to simply undo the wrapped lights. If not start cutting. Once you get to the roof all you have to do is unclip the lights. If you prefer, leave the clips attached to the strands and leave the strands connected to each other for an easy setup a year from now.

Have extra tips to share? Save some trial and error for others and let readers know.

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