Hang Christmas Lights Without Damaging Your Roof

WatchCandy Cane Pattern on a Cement Tile Roof

We're roofers too, so we care about what happens to your shingles.

Every January we see the same thing. The lights come down and leave behind nail holes, staples in the shingles, cracked tile and bent gutters. Those little holes don't seem like much, but water finds them. A leak that shows up in March can start with a staple in December.

So here's how to hang your holiday lights the way a roofing company would.

Why Shouldn't I Use Nails or Staples on My Roof?

Because every hole is a path for water. Shingles are designed to overlap and shed water. When you drive a nail or staple through one, you've punched a hole through the layer that keeps your home dry. Over a season of wind, rain and the occasional ice, that hole can let water get to the decking underneath.

Nails and staples also make takedown harder. You end up prying them out, which can tear the shingle, or leaving them in place to rust.

The same goes for gutters and trim. Screws and nails in fascia or gutters create rust spots and openings for water and critters.

What Should I Use Instead of Nails?

Plastic light clips. There are clips made for nearly every part of a house:

• Shingle tabs. Clips that slide under the edge of a shingle without lifting or bending it.
• Gutter clips. Clips that hook onto the front lip of the gutter.
• Ridge and peak clips. Clips designed to run lights along a ridge without penetrating it.
• Tile clips. Special clips for tile roofs that don't require walking on or lifting tile.

Match the clip to your surface. A gutter clip on a shingle won't hold, and a shingle clip that's forced in can lift the shingle and let wind get under it.

How Do I Hang Lights on a Tile Roof?

Carefully. Cement and clay tile is beautiful and tough against weather, but it can crack when somebody steps in the wrong place. Watch the video above, "Candy Cane Pattern on a Cement Tile Roof," to see one done right.

A few rules for tile:

1. Do as much as you can from a ladder at the eave instead of walking the roof.
2. If you must walk it, step only where the tile is supported, typically the lower part of each tile, and never on unsupported edges.
3. Use clips made for tile.
4. Don't lift or pry tiles to tuck in wires.

If you're not sure, don't walk a tile roof. A cracked tile can be hard to match and replace.

How Do I Keep Wires From Damaging the Roof?

• Keep wires off the roof surface where you can. Run them along gutters and eaves.
• Don't pinch cords under shingles. That can lift tabs and wear the cord.
• Avoid sharp edges like flashing, which can cut through insulation.
• Plan your connections so they stay dry, up off the roof and out of the valleys where water runs.

What Does Takedown Have to Do With My Roof?

Plenty. Yanking a strand off the roof pulls clips through shingles and can break tabs, especially on cold days when shingles are less flexible. Take lights down clip by clip. Our holiday light takedown and storage guide walks through it.

Should I Get My Roof Checked Before Hanging Lights?

If your roof has been through a hail season or you've noticed loose or missing shingles, it's smart to know what you're working with before you start clipping things to it. Hanging lights on damaged shingles can make the damage worse. Our roofing and storm damage team can inspect it and tell you what we see.

How Does G3 Hang Lights?

We're roofers first. Our crew uses clips matched to your shingles, tile and gutters, custom fits commercial-grade C9 LEDs to every peak and eave, and keeps wiring tidy and off the roof surface wherever possible. After the season, we take everything down carefully and pack it into a storage bin that stays at your home. Your roof looks the same in January as it did in November. See our work on the lighting page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Want lights that look great without hurting your roof? Start your lights estimate on our lighting page or call (945) 300-9018.

Keep learning: see our Holiday Lighting page, read HOA Holiday Lighting Rules: What to Check First.