Christmas lights… it’s the gift that keeps on giving the whole year!

Believe it or not, it’s that time of year again. Time to put up the tree, adorn it with lights and hang the stockings with care by the fireplace (unlit of course here in Houston).

For some of us, many of whom have seen Christmas Vacation one too many times, our expression of holiday cheer ends up spilling out of the home, onto the lawn and eventually onto the roof. After every first good downpour of the New Year, before I even have a chance to break my New Year’s resolution, I begin receiving calls about leaking roofs. Upon inspection, there seems to be a pattern of holes in the roof that spells out some cheerful holiday sentiment such a Merry Xmas, Tis the Season or something of that nature. Well, there is one thing for sure… they are no longer cheerful.

This year I was hoping to save folks the post-holiday headache and expense and advise everyone not to nail or even staple lights directing into the shingles. Ideally, you should avoid putting lights on the roof path from a personal safety standpoint let alone for the fact it invalidates your manufacturer’s warranty.

However, if your holiday cheer must be spread to the roof, I would highly recommend hiring a professional. As with anyone you hire, I suggest verifying their reputation through Google reviews, the BBB Houston Chapter and your neighborhood website (sometimes contractors will offer group discounts to neighbors :)). This will save you money you probably already spent on Christmas and have you headed in the right direction for the New Year… NOT falling off a roof.

So Happy Holidays everyone and stay safe and off your roof.