Christmas on the coast hits different. Lights on the dock, a wreath on the boat, and a roofline glowing against a 65-degree December night.
Before you grab the ladder, here’s something most people never think about: the way you hang those lights can do more damage to your roof than a year of weather.
A staple is a hole. A hole is a leak.
It feels harmless, a few staples to keep the strand from sagging. But your roof is built to shed water, and every staple or nail punches straight through the layer that’s doing the shedding. You won’t see the leak at Christmas. You might see it in a spring storm, as a brown spot on the ceiling.
Here’s a bonus most folks don’t know: staples can also nick the insulation on the light cord itself. Now you’ve got a hole in your roof and a bare wire sitting on it.
Don’t lift the shingles, either
A lot of “shingle clips” are designed to slide under a shingle. The trouble is that every shingle is sealed to the one below it by a strip of sealant. That seal is what keeps your shingles down when the wind comes off the water. Pry up a shingle to tuck a clip under it and you can break that bond. Shingle makers recommend skipping the clips that tuck under shingles altogether.
Let the gutters do the work
The best spot for your lights is usually the gutter. Plastic gutter clips grip the lip of the gutter, carry the weight, and never touch a shingle. Where there’s no gutter, like on a gable end, use clips that grip the edge of the roof without lifting anything.
And on the coast, snap every clip on tight. A loose clip in a stiff breeze turns into a little hammer tapping on your roof all night.
Stay on the ground if you can
Every holiday season, thousands of people end up in the ER from decorating. The Consumer Product Safety Commission counted about 14,900 in the 2023 season, and nearly half were falls. Ladders and rooflines don’t care how merry you’re feeling.
When the lights come down in January, take a quick look at the roofline. A popped staple, a lifted shingle, or a clip that chewed up an edge is a five-minute fix now and a ceiling stain later. Catch it before the spring storms do.
Until then, light it up. Just do it the right way.
