Friday, December 17, 2010

Roofing Care Tips after Christmas

Christmas lights on the roof are very beautiful and quite a site to behold during this festive season. However, they must be installed with care and without any damage to the roof. Their installation can be quite a task for the amateur and most often than not professional expertise is required so that the roof stays intact. Additionally, since electrical connections are required, they must not be a hazard to the safety of the home; no live wires should be left bare especially since it may be wet during the holiday season. Such lights once connected must be switched off at bedtime and when no one is at home.


Safe Removal of Christmas Lights

Once the holidays are over, Christmas lights should not stay on the roof longer than is necessary otherwise they may become an eyesore. Since they are meant to stay up for short periods of time, their electrical cabling also tends to be thin and so if they stay up for too long, these may be worn out and expose electrical wires and cause a fire hazard or electrocution. The lights must be switched off and disconnected from the main power outlet before removing them from the roof. This is a safety precaution for the one doing the uninstalling and also the entire home.

The same care used when installing them must be adhered to when uninstalling the lights; the ladder must be firm and secure. The climber must wear non slip shoes and the roofing must not be damaged in any way by stepping on the firmer parts of the roof to prevent it from caving in due to the extra weight. All nails, tacks or other such tools used to secure the lights on the roof must be removed carefully to avoid damage to the roof or the electrical cabling.

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