One of the many perks of the holiday season is decorating your home inside and out with bright displays of sentiment and cheerfulness. However, hanging lights outside can be challenging. Don’t break your back setting up your charming holiday display. Here’s how to hang Christmas lights with gutter guards.
Start With a Plan
Hanging exterior Christmas lights will be a pain if you don’t have a plan. The last thing you want to do is ascend your ladder with clips, staples, and light bundles in hand, only to realize you have nowhere to plug in the lights. Beginning your decorating journey with a well-thought-out plan is a surefire way to achieve success.
Clean Before Clipping
Christmastime comes nipping at the heels of autumn; this means your gutters likely have piles of dead leaves decomposing atop your gutter guards. While the guards can protect your gutters from clogs, they can’t guarantee freedom from falling foliage. Consider utilizing a residential gutter cleaning service before hanging Christmas lights, so you don’t have to simultaneously clean and decorate. Our experts at Gutter Maid can help you start decorating with a clean slate.
lternatives to Gutter Clips
The classic tool for hanging Christmas lights is the gutter clip. While these plastic pieces typically slip over the gutter lip while holding the light strand, these don’t work when you have gutter guards in place. Here are the best alternative hanging strategies when you have gutter guards:
Under-gutter clips. Though over-gutter clips are a simple solution, under-gutter options work just as well. Look for all-in-one clips that wrap around the gutter and give you an “in” for the lights underneath the metal half-pipe.Sticky clips. Clips with adhesive backing are another great option for gutter-based installation. These sticky tools adhere directly to the front face of the gutter with a strong adhesive that will weather the winter wetness. Though the adhesive is quite strong and will come off at the end of the season, sticky clips may fall in the event of severe weather.Shingle clips. Your gutter may have pieces in the way, but your roof doesn’t. Consider using shingle clips that attach to single shingles while binding with your light strand. While this strategy is effective, it does have two caveats worth considering. First, these clips may get in the way when trying to clear snow off your roof. Second, using your roof may incur minor damage that could impact your roof warranty. Explore all the shingle clip options and weather solutions before using this alternative.
Knowing how to hang Christmas lights with gutter guards is a great way to enjoy the holidays without anything getting in the way. Learn more about gutter care and clog management as the seasons change from fall to winter, and reach out to our team at Gutter Maid today.
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