Can you put lights on a shingle roof?
First of all, using nails, staples or screws to install lights can create problems. Also, shingles can take abuse when a well-intentioned homeowner walks across their roof. While both seem like inevitable parts of the Christmas decoration process, there are alternatives.
Do Christmas decorations cause shingle damage?
The first thing to know is that there are two main ways that Christmas decorations cause shingle damage. First of all, using nails, staples or screws to install lights can create problems. Also, shingles can take abuse when a well-intentioned homeowner walks across their roof.
How do you attach Christmas lights to shingles?
Instead of using nails and screws to attach Christmas lights to shingles, head to your local department or home improvement store and look for clips that attach lights to shingles. If you have lights already, take a photo of the box and record the size of the lights.
Can you hang Christmas lights from gutter shingles?
One of the biggest reasons homeowners use gutters to hang their Christmas lights is because it creates a clean line up and down the exterior of a home. Unfortunately, hanging lights from gutters can lead to most of the same problems as hanging them from shingles.
How do you attach Christmas lights to shingles?
Slide the socket of your C7/C9 bulbs into the circular ring of your all in one clip. Once all of your lights have clips attached, slide the tab underneath your shingle, the folding tab at the end helps to hold the clip securely in place. All in One clips will hang lights facing vertically when placed on shingles.
Do staples damage shingles?
Staples damage your shingles. Tiny holes from repeated stapling will limit the lifespan of your roof considerably. Asphalt shingles will lose granules much quicker this way, and wooden shingles can splinter and even rot away from underneath if water seeps beneath them.
Can you staple outdoor Christmas lights?
Using a staple gun to attach holiday lights is an action that will get you on the naughty list. “Using nails, screws, staples or other penetrating fasteners to secure decorations to your roof is definitely not a good idea,” said Alex Pecora, residential product manager for CertainTeed Roofing.
How do you hang Christmas lights on a roof without damaging the shingles?
Avoid Using Nails and Staples Instead, try using Christmas light hanging clips. These allow you to turn lights directly onto the roof without causing any damage or creating holes that let in water. You can usually find these types of fasteners at your local hardware store for a few dollars each.
Is it safe to staple Christmas lights?
This is actually one application where it's okay to use some staples, as long as you remove all of them after the holiday season. If the lights are going to be wrapped around the trunk for a long period of time, be sure and use stainless steel staples to prevent rusting, which can damage the tree.
Can I staple lights to my roof?
When you're hanging Christmas lights on a roof, you shouldn't use any fasteners that puncture the shingle or any other part of the roof, such as nails, staples or screws. Even small holes in the shingles can create leaks.
What staples to use for shingles?
Staples made of at least 16-gauge galvanized steel with a minimum crown of 15/16” (24 mm) have been and continue to be used by some applicators to install shingles.
Do people staple Christmas lights to roof?
Fans of the movie Christmas Vacation will recall Clark Griswold putting up his lights with his trusty staple gun. Don't do that. Stapling to your eaves (the wood part around the perimeter of your roof) is probably okay. But avoid putting staples or nails or screws or any type of hole into your shingles.
Can you staple outdoor lights?
Leave a little slack at the area closest to the power source and use a staple gun with ¼-in. staples to attach the string lights closest to the power source. Unplug the cord from your outlet. Pull the cord taught, but not tight, and continue stapling the string lights along your path.
How do you secure Christmas lights on a roof?
0:542:14How to Hang Christmas Lights from the Roof - Ace Hardware - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipTry light clips that slip under your shingles or clay tile s-shaped Clips make it easy to stringMoreTry light clips that slip under your shingles or clay tile s-shaped Clips make it easy to string lights along gutters if you like a uniform. Look choose clips that hold the bulbs in position.
How do you attach string lights to a roof?
STEP 1: Select the right string lights for your space. ... STEP 2: Determine where you will hang the lights. ... STEP 3: Measure and mark where the hooks will go. ... STEP 4: Screw in the cup hooks. ... STEP 5: Hang the string lights. ... STEP 6: Plug in the outdoor string lights and enjoy your illuminated space.
How do you hang Christmas lights outside without nails?
10 Easiest Ways to Hang Outdoor Christmas Lights (No Nails Needed!)Hang Your Christmas Lights With Tape.Adhesive Christmas Light Hooks and Clips.Hot Glue Your Lights On.Staple Them In Place.Light Up Your Rain Gutters With Gutter Clips.Boost Your Brick Walls With Brick Clips.Use a Christmas Light Projector.More items...•
How can I hang Christmas lights without damaging my house?
Whenever possible, use plastic clips when hanging Christmas lights. There are a variety of plastic clips that work by clipping onto the gutters, shingles or eaves of your home without damaging your roof. There are clips available for specific roof systems and Christmas lights.
Do Christmas lights get hot enough to start a fire?
Myth 5: Christmas Tree Lights Cause House Fires Christmas lights alone aren't a fire hazard by themselves. However, holiday goers should still avoid overloading extension cords and electrical sockets with strands upon strands of lights in case of a short circuit.
How do you hang Christmas lights on a roof without gutters?
If you don't have gutters, you can use clips to attach lights to your shingles instead. You can find clips that work for either application. A light-hanging pole is available with some light-clip kits. Hanging poles can reduce the need to climb a ladder.
Should I leave outdoor Christmas lights on all night?
It's okay to leave outdoor Christmas lights on all night. However, using a timer to turn them off late at night saves energy. LED Christmas lights are safer to leave on than traditional lights because they produce much less heat. Leaving outdoor Christmas lights on all night usually does not pose any safety issue.
Can I use a staple gun for shingles?
Roofing Staples Roofing staple guns were light and easy to use over the newer and heavier roofing nail guns that were coming onto the market. Staple guns were also easier to repair if staples got jammed. For these reasons, staples were preferred by most roofers.
When did they stop using staples on roofs?
If you have a roof that's been installed with staples, is it a defective installation? If it was installed after 2003, technically yes, because staples aren't allowed any more.
Which is better roofing nails or staples?
After all, it's no surprise roofers loved staples for attaching shingles to roofing. Staples cost less than nails, offer exceptional holding strength, and cover a greater area of space with a more versatile and compact collation.
Are nails better than staples for roofing?
Even with solid holding power, staples lack lasting strength and durability compared to roof nails. This is especially important if your home is in a high wind area.
Can You Staple Christmas Lights to Your Roof?
Oh, the festive joy of the holidays, with eggnog, presents, and a house covered in sparkly Christmas lights. Whether you’re just in it for some pretty Christmas decoration, or you’re at all-out war to be more impressive than the neighbors, Designer Roofing wants to help you protect your home from damage this holiday season.
For a Style that Sleighs Them
We can’t wrap up our post without showing you some beautiful Christmas light inspiration. You’ve heard our message – don’t staple Christmas lights to your roof! – so now enjoy these beautiful homes as you plan your own holiday decorations.
Why do you put Christmas lights on your roof?
Your rooftop Christmas lights are a great opportunity to show off your sense of style and to create the kind of Christmas atmosphere you want. Everyone walking through your door during the holidays will be looking at the lights. Will they feel like they are stepping into a traditional, comforting Christmas gathering? A winter wonderland in blue? Or perhaps you want them to feel like they’re stepping into a huge gingerbread house? Whatever your style, here are some Christmas light tips to help you achieve it.
What kind of lights do you use on a Christmas tree?
Mini string lights: Though these are the most popular lights for Christmas trees, they are very subtle on rooftops because they don’t give off much light and the small bulbs do use less energy.
What are fairy rope lights?
Rope lights/fairy rope lights: Rope lights are thick plastic tubes with lights embedded into them. The advantage of rope lights is that you can easily wrap them around things or make unique shapes, without having to secure each bulb in place. They’re fun and flexible! You can use them to spell festive greetings on your lawn or to light up your seasonal decor. However, these lights are not very bright because they send off light in every direction. They’re best used as accent lights instead of your main lights.
How to hang Christmas lights without ladder?
There are a few ways to hang Christmas lights without a ladder. The first is a simple solution, a light- hanging pole. To use these poles, you attach the clip to the lights then place the clip in the pole’s grip. Then, you simply extend the arm and hook the clip over the gutter.
Which is better, incandescent or LED?
Incandescent lights are cheaper than LED lights up front, but they use more energy, generate heat and are more of a fire hazard. Their larger energy requirements mean that you’ll only be able to have three to six light strands per outlet, while you’d get many more per outlet if you use LEDs. On the other hand, incandescent lights tend to be brighter on average than LEDs and have a different light quality that feels warmer. Some like the nostalgia of incandescent lights if they grew up when LEDs were not available.
What is the focal point of Christmas lights?
One thing that most great Christmas light displays have in common is that they have a focal point, where the eye is drawn, and use symmetry to make that focal point stand out . The most common focal point is the front door, and, often people will wrap lights on the pillars surrounding their door.
What happens if you twist light strings?
You should also be conscious about how you wrap the light strings. If they twist, they may kink and look odd next year, especially if you use clips that hook to the line instead of to the bulb.
Why do you hang Christmas lights in gutters?
One of the biggest reasons homeowners use gutters to hang their Christmas lights is because it creates a clean line up and down the exterior of a home. Unfortunately, hanging lights from gutters can lead to most of the same problems as hanging them from shingles.
Can you use hooks to stick to siding?
If you would prefer not to make a hole in your home's exterior, you can also use specially-formulated hooks that attach with a strong adhesive. These can stick to many types of surfaces, including tile, wood, paint and siding. Some are clear, which can allow you to leave them up inconspicuously until decorating season next year.
Is it safe to put lights on a house?
Installing lights on any type of home comes with risks. Keep these tips in mind to stay safe during the holidays.
Can Christmas decorations damage shingles?
The first thing to know is that there are two main ways that Christmas decorations cause shingle damage. First of all, using nails, staples or screws to install lights can create problems. Also, shingles can take abuse when a well-intentioned homeowner walks across their roof. While both seem like inevitable parts of the Christmas decoration process, there are alternatives.
Can you put Christmas lights on a roof?
Installing Christmas lights isn't always easy. This is especially true if you want to put lights on your roof and attach them to your shingles. If you don't hang your lights strands properly, you might damage your home or put your family at risk of an electrical fire. So, how should you attach Christmas lights to your shingles safely?
Do Christmas lights work?
Christmas lights aren’t made with quite as much care as the Mona Lisa. They blink, they cut out, and they just plain don’t work sometimes. So it’s not rare for a string of lights to have exposed wiring, and a casing that’s vulnerable to the elements.
Can I Staple Lights to my Roof?
It’s that time of year again: the annual neighborhood arms race to see whose light display is the most impressive. Maybe you’ll win this year, and maybe you won’t. But there’s one thing that you can make sure you’re on top of, and that’s putting up your lights safely.
Why Do Some Roofers Still Prefer Staples?
They might be deemed an inferior and prohibited mode of attachment but there are a few reasons as to why roofers prefer using staples on roof shingles. The guns used are very small hence stable and perfectly balanced compared to the bulkier nail guns. They have an impeccable holding strength. Staples are versatile and cover a vast area of space. They do not have the technical issues that are normally present in a nail gun, which encounters a lot of jamming. More so, staples are relatively cheap than nails and they are famed for their compactness. This implies that a roofer can reload their gun more quickly when using staples than when using nails, which require some delicate approach as they consume more space.
Why are staples so wobbly?
They are often installed improperly and for this reason, they can become wobbly and detach easily. This is because many roofers have a knack for installing and driving them at very unsuitable angles. It is therefore common to find ...
Are Staples Approved in Building Codes?
This is because they are still not approved in many residential building codes as an acceptable shingle fastener. Many reviews done over the years by reputable entities have depicted that many manufacturers and building codes do not approve the use of staples on roof shing les. They do not recommend them for roofing on residential housing and they exclusively state that roofing nails are more fitting especially in areas with very adverse weather conditions. It is vital to mention that staples have been prohibited in several places such as Minnesota for quite some time.
Do you use staples or nails on a roof?
This can be attributed to the nails design and universal compatibility. Even though nails are costly, they are very effective and can rarely void a warranty compared to staples. Many areas have therefore banned staples from being used in roof installation. It is therefore preferable to use nails than staples, which will cause you have some never-ending incessant repairs. If you are still undecided, you might want to reach out to a roofing expert for help on the same.
Is staples cheaper than nails?
More so, staples are relatively cheap than nails and they are famed for their compactness. This implies that a roofer can reload their gun more quickly when using staples than when using nails, which require some delicate approach as they consume more space.
Can staples stand up to a small upload?
However, in regards to staples, there is no absolute certainty about their efficacy. To elucidate on this, staples can be able to stand against a small upload provided they are properly sealed. It is prudent to mention that staples are not highly recommended in areas that usually experience intense winds hence there is usually no guarantee ...
Are Staples Strong Enough?
However, sometimes the staples might tend to be quite feeble against ferocious winds hence necessitating a further upgrade. This entails fastening them with the use of nails to render them more secure. The adhesive bond may not be ample and this implies that it might be wise to hand seal the shingles again to ensure that the staples are perfect and indestructible.
Why do roofers use staples?
Staples are used because they make the roofer’s job easier; they don’t equate to a better installation. The problem with stapled shingles is that they have a much greater chance of coming loose or blowing off the roof because staples are so easy to install improperly.
How to tell if a roof has been stapled?
To know if a roof has been installed with staples, you can sometimes see the outline of the staples pushing through the shingle above.
Why are staples improperly installed?
Staples are often improperly installed because it’s somewhat awkward to hold a staple gun completely perpendicular to the shingle. For someone who is right handed, it’s much easier to shoot the staples on the left side of their body at an angle similar to a forward slash, and the staples on the right side at an angle similar to a backward slash. The two super-crude diagrams below should help to illustrate what I’m talking about.
Can you use staples on a roof after 2003?
If it was installed after 2003, technically yes, because staples aren’t allowed any more. If every staple was perfectly installed, the installation would work just as well as perfectly installed nails, but I’ve found improperly installed staples at every stapled roof I’ve inspected.
Do shingles need to be replaced?
When I inspect a house with shingles that have been improperly installed, I tell the same thing to my buyers; the shingles don’t need to be replaced, but they might cause some headaches. If shingles have already started coming loose and obvious repairs have been made, I typically recommend replacement of the roof covering.
Do staples perpendicular to shingle?
Also notice, these staples aren’t perpendicular to the shingle. This is the installation problem that typically happens with staples.
Do you have to replace shingles on a roof?
If you have a roof with stapled shingles, you don’t need to replace the shingles as a rule of thumb, but you’re taking on some risk. If shingles start blowing off on a regular basis, you’ll probably want to have the roof covering replaced.
