Roof Safety Tips for Holiday Decorating
A. Prep your materials.
There’s nothing more frustrating than getting all the way up to the roof and finding out that your lights aren’t working, or even worse, getting zapped from a short in the cord. It’s worth the extra few minutes to check your outlets and power sources, as well as your lights and cords.
Untangle and plug in all your lights while you are on the ground, and replace strings that are out or blinking with lights and extension cords rated specifically for outdoor use.
B. Pick a light, clear time of day.
It may be tempting to wait until dusk so you can see the lights all lit up as you go, but don’t. Set aside a good chunk of daytime so you don’t feel rushed and check the weather forecast to make sure there’s no rain, snow, or wind expected. You don’t want to wrestle with an inflatable snowman on a windy day or try to secure a plastic sleigh on an icy rooftop.
C. Clear the roof.
A clear and clean roof is important for many reasons, including preventing decorating accidents. No matter how many decorations you want to put on your roof—heck, the more the merrier—you should always start by making sure your roof and gutter system are clear of dirt, debris, leaves, and other materials that could present a tripping or slipping hazard.
Scrape off any moss or lichen, and check for any signs of unwanted animals (squirrels, rodents, birds, insects) looking for a place to ride out the winter months.
D. Stay safe on the ladder.
In US, the CPSC says that 36 percent of holiday decorating injuries are the result of falls, half of which are falls from ladders. In fact, so many people have fallen off ladders while decorating that the CPSC posted guidelines on how to use one safely.
A few ladder safety tips to keep in mind:
- Make sure you have a sturdy ladder designed to support your weight.
- Set up your ladder on a flat, level surface, such as a driveway or walkway, and away from power lines, electrical equipment and doors that could be opened.
- Speaking of electrical, a fiberglass or wooden ladder is preferable to an aluminum one.
- Your ladder should be set at a 75-degree angle, extended at least three feet over the roofline or working surface, and you should not stand on the top three rungs of the ladder.
- Consider getting a spotter or helper.
E. Gear up for safety.
Roof safety tips.
To minimize the risk of a holiday decorating accident, there are a few guidelines you should follow when it comes to wardrobe and safety gear:
- Wear shoes with a soft rubber sole for extra traction and keep the bottom of your shoes free of mud and dirt.
- Use a tool belt to carry your tools and decorating essentials.
- Speaking of tools: leave the staple, nail and glue guns on the ground. You should never use staples, nails, screws, or other penetrating fasteners to attach holiday decorations to your roof. Instead, use removable plastic clips and hooks that can be put back in the toolbox come January. There are even magnetic clips and lights that can easily attach and detach from metal gutters and roof eaves.
Don’t be a holiday hero.
Finally, know your limits. Don’t get on the roof unless you’ve done it before, you’re in great shape, and you have excellent balance.
Read more at https://longroofing.com/blog/tis-the-season-roof-safety-tips-for-holiday-decorating/
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