Outdoor Christmas Decorations – All You Need To Know!

It’s that time of year again! Before Thanksgiving leftovers disappear, people all over are already decorating their home for Christmas. If you’re like many of the friends we know, there is nothing more satisfying than having one of the best holiday light displays in the entire neighborhood. These elaborate outdoor creations almost always include lights, inflatables and more on the side of your house or roof.

Clyde Nettles has been safely navigating on top of roofs all over the state for 70 years – so please take some pointers from us and be as safe as possible this season while making your home a fantastic holiday display!

1. Be Cautious of Weather Conditions

Do not attempt to hang any lights/decorations when snow, ice or wet weather conditions exist. We do realize we’re in the south, so snow and ice are highly unlikely. But rain is always possible, and wet roof shingles can be very dangerous especially on steep-pitched roofs. Not to mention it's never safe to be plugging electronics into wet outdoor outlets. So if we do have some rain, just sort through those decorations and wait for dry weather to actually put them up.

2. Protect the Integrity of Your Home & Roof

Never puncture or poke holes in your asphalt roof shingles. This compromises the integrity of the roof almost immediately and would void any warranty your home’s roof may be under. Not to mention this could immediately create a leak. Use specially made roof clips that clip to the edge of your gutters, shingles or windows. By using these clips, you can create a huge display without worrying about damage to your home. Most clip packages even include peak clips, allowing you to safely run lights along the peak of your roof.

3. Time to Switch to LED

Still using those old incandescent lights? You may want to make the switch to LED lights. LEDs use way less energy – giving you several advantages. They do not get as hot as the incandescent bulbs, creating way less risk for fire or burnt/charred shingles. Because they draw less energy, not only will you save money on the electric bill, but you can power more strands off of a single outlet. Making the switch to LEDs is just a win/win for you in the end.

IMPORTANT: before you begin putting up decorations, make sure you put a plan of action and always, always have the proper tools:
• roof light clips
• outdoor extension cords
• tape to secure cords
• sturdy, non-slip shoes
• ladder

• your lights/decor!

Now that we've gone over some safety tips, let's take a look at some different styles of holiday lights.

1. Mini string lights

Clearly the most popular, these smaller bulbs when used in the right places add just the right amount of accent lighting to roofs, windows, foliage and more. 

2. Large bulb lights

Although the larger bulbs draw more energy (and yes, they do make these in LED now!), they typically come in unique textures, sizes and colors. Most of them are large enough to not only accent your home, but also provide obvious decor at night.

3. Icicle lights

These lights mimic the look of glittering icicles hanging from your rooftop (and being in South Carolina, this may be as close as you get to icicles this winter lol). These lights usually come in various lengths and colors, so make sure you get the right ones to match your home and decor!

4. Raindrop lights

These newer lights just started becoming popular in the last several years and draw plenty of attention. Each light is like a single icicle, and the light fades down the strand to mimic water as if it were "dripping down" the icicle. The motion of the light is very calming and will definitely draw attention to your home, windows or trees.

5. Rope lights

These lights are embedded into plastic flexible tubes that make it easy for you to wrap around objects or make unique shapes without having to secure each and every bulb. These lights usually work great for the base of trees, around windows, mailboxes and more.

If you’re in the mood to see a wonderful display of lights this year, we highly suggest you check out Riverbanks Zoo Lights Before Christmas. Just click the link for more info on tickets and times. This fantastic display may even give you some pointers on how to add more to your home decor! 

We do hope everyone enjoys their Thanksgiving this year, and please be safe putting up those holiday decorations! Clyde Nettles thanks you for year number 70 and we are graciously looking forward to many more as South Carolina’s most trusted roofing company. 

Happy Holidays from all of us at Clyde Nettles!

803-754-ROOF • ClydeNettles.com