The leaves are changing, the air is crisp and cool, holiday decorations fill the stores, and your family is begging you to decorate the house. Before you climb on a ladder with the first strand of lights in your hand, please keep these safety tips in mind.
The excitement for the holiday season sometimes overshadows the need to make safe decisions. It’s fun to decorate your home, especially if you have kids. Before you do so, consider these safety tips to minimize some of the most common problems homeowners have when decorating their homes for the holidays.
#1 Be Safe, no matter what!
Let’s be frank. Even in the coldest and wettest weather, you still want to hang up those Halloween lights and skeletons or position Santa in just the right place on the roof. To ensure a safe experience, make sure the weather is calm and dry with no wind, rain, or storms in the forecast. Always work with a partner and follow all manufacturer’s safety instructions. Utilizing these safety tips may help to avoid a holiday decorating disaster this season.
#2 Ladder Safety
It is never wise to climb on your roof and you should always work with a partner on the ground. If you plan to use a ladder next to your home, be sure the ladder is high quality, durable, and stable. To reduce the risk of ladder accidents – which are all too common – position the ladder on safe, level ground. If you need to position the ladder on an incline, use the leg levelers for support.
#3 Use the Right Lights
Always use undamaged certified outdoor lights. A strand of lights not designed to handle the wet conditions outdoors can cause a fire that within minutes will spread across your roof. For this reason, only install outdoor-approved lights tested by the safety certification company UL. Do not install lights that are broken, have cracks, or have bare wires. Know how much power your outlet can take and don’t overload it, as that increases your risks.
#4 Avoid Power Lines
Don’t go near power lines. If you plan to put something on the roof, keep you and your decorations at least 10 feet away from your power lines.
#5 Avoid Roof Damage
Don’t place objects on the roof that could cause damage to your roof shingles. Be mindful of the potential damage heavy items can cause to shingles and the roof deck. Never staple, nail, or otherwise adhere decorations to the shingles on your roof. This creates holes in them that can lead to water leaks.
Following these simple safety tips should help avoid injury and ensure you have the best-decorated house on the block!
Since 2003 Horch Roofing has been Maine’s reliable expert for roofing or gutter replacement and repairs. We serve the communities of Maine from our offices in Warren and South Portland. No matter where you are located in Maine, we are the local roofer for you! Whether you have a minor repair for our Dispatch Crew, have a roof fail in the middle of winter, or need snow guards, we are the experts here to help.
Horch Roofing repairs and installs standing seam metal roofing, asphalt shingle roofing, EPDM rubber roofing, and seamless gutters for both residential and commercial roofing projects. Click here to fill out our online form for a free roof replacement estimate, or call our experts at 207-273-1111.