With Thanksgiving in just a few days, it’s time to shift gears and think about Christmas. One of your family’s favorite holiday traditions is going for walks and looking at Christmas lights everywhere. This year, you want to join in on the holiday spirit and decorate your house’s exterior with beautiful lights. However, if you’re unprepared for putting the lights up, it can quickly turn into a source of frustration and stress instead of cheer. Read on to learn five things you can do to ensure that your lights display is successful this year.
Plan Ahead
Measure straight stretches where you want to put lights. This one little step will help you know how many strands to buy and help you avoid needing to return to the store for more later on. Also, take some time before you go out into the cold to think through a design plan. For example, where will the focal point be? Do you have beautiful columns or a large architectural feature that you want to highlight? Looking ahead to these details can help the display look significantly better than figuring it out as you go.
Pick Your Lights
There are seemingly limitless options for Christmas lights available. You could have icicle lights, multi-colored lights, large bulb lights, and much more. Even deciding on white lights involves several additional choices because LED white lights have look slightly blue while incandescent white lights have an orangish tint. Each has its own pros and cons, so select the lights that you prefer.
Check Your Gutters or Shingles
If you plan on setting up lights along the roofline, make sure that your gutters are in good condition and thick enough before securing lights to them. Although the lights aren’t necessarily heavy, weak or damaged gutters can provide poor support for your light display. The same goes for the shingles if that’s the way you want to hang your lights.
Safety First
Climbing a ladder to put up Christmas lights can involve a lot of risks, so be sure to exercise caution. Choose extension cords and light strands that are meant for outdoor use, and check all wires to ensure that none are frayed or damaged. Be careful as you ascend a ladder or move about the roof. Although it’s best to have another person outside with you, you need to have at least one person whom you can easily call for help in case you fall or something else goes wrong.
Use the Right Supplies
Although your dad used staples and clothespins to hang lights, it is much better for your house to use light clips. No matter the surface you’re mounting the lights on, you can find light clips that make your life much easier and protect your home’s exterior from unnecessary damage.
Regardless of whether you ever win any neighborhood lighting contests, you can make the outside of your home a beautiful winter wonderland by hanging up Christmas lights this season. By using these tips, you can make sure that everyone remains jolly during the process.
About Platinum Gutters
If you need to replace your damaged, sagging, or rusted gutters in time for the holidays, Platinum Gutters is the company you want to turn to. It has been owned and operated by long-time DFW residents since 2008, when the company was founded. With Platinum Gutters, you get a free, in-person estimate in writing, and you can get insight about gutters from team members who are experienced in the industry. If you have questions about gutters, click here to contact the Platinum Gutters team.