It’s that time of year again, and the pressure is on. Everybody in your street is dragging the giant inflatable Santas onto their lawns, hauling themselves up ladders to hang icicle lights and precariously teetering on their roofs with Rudolph’s sleigh. You don’t want to be the Grinch in your street and let the entire team down, so you reluctantly sift through the garage for last year’s lights, hoping that you don’t have to individually change any blasted bulbs. Christmas is coming!
There are lots of things to think about before December 25 rolls around, but there’s one issue in particular that people don’t spare much thought for. Do extravagant Christmas light displays damage your roof? Now we don’t want to be scrooges or the cause of your entire street turning against you, but we do want to warn you that excessive walking on your roof can speed up wear and tear.
How Christmas decorations harm your roof
Walking on your roof should be avoided all year round. It wears it down quicker and can be dangerous. It’s always best to get a professional in to inspect your roof if you think there might be leaks, cracked tiles or corroding metal sheeting.
Here are a few common mistakes people make around Christmas time, which expedite the wear and tear on their roofs:
Adhering large and heavy ornamental decorations such as sleighs or light up trees to the roof with nails. This causes tearing and holes, resulting in leakages and rust. It also puts unnecessary strain on your roof to bear more weight than it should.
Walking on your roof excessively to tie down decorations can also end in unforeseen damage, especially if you slip or fall. Tying down decorations instead of nailing them may seem like a better idea, but depending on where the majority of weight bearing occurs, this can cause damage as well, especially if there are high winds.
Placing adhesive hooks on the gutters to string up Christmas lights. Christmas lights can be pretty heavy, and if your gutters aren’t in ship shape, lights can weigh them down significantly. Unless you intend to leave them there permanently, adhesive hooks can also rip paint, leaving ugly marks on your gutters.
So how do I stay festive without roof decorations?
It’s best to stay away from roof decorations altogether. You need your roof in place all year round, and there’s no point putting it and your entire home in jeopardy when you can purchase seriously jazzy lights for the garden instead! We’ve put together our favourites to keep you in that Christmas spirit.
Holly Garlands
Nothing says a traditional Christmas like holly garlands! String them in your doorway for an extras festive feel.
Tree and bush lights
Twinkling lights in the shrubs and trees growing in your yard look magical.
Cone trees
Lacking trees and shrubbery in your front yard to wrap lights around? Not to worry! These cone trees are delightfully vibrant on their own!
Interactive Reindeers
These standalone reindeers have moving heads!
Spruce up your fence
Looking for something cheeky and low-key? The Grinch always leaves a fun decorative touch!
Sleigh bells in the yard
Feeling particularly crafty? Try your hand at making a Christmas sleigh and reindeer yourself!
Need somewhere to purchase Christmas decorations for your lawn? Bunnings always have a great selection, and you can grab yourself a snag on the way in – bonus!
Reno Saver specialises in roof replacements and restorations. Is your roof looking a little worse for wear? Call us today for a free quote!