The holiday season brings joy, decorations, and festive lights to homes everywhere. When it comes to lighting your roof, making the right choices can not only enhance your home’s holiday appeal but also protect your roofing system from potential damage. Not sure where to start, or looking to take it to the next level this year? We spoke with the pros to learn how different roof types can be used to create a stunning display.
1. Consider Your Roof Type Before Decorating
Before hanging your light strings, it's important to recognize how your roof design can impact the overall effect of your decorations. Certain roof types offer more opportunities for creative lighting, like white icicle lights, while others may limit popular options for larger-size light bulbs.
“One of my personal favorite times of the year is Christmas," shares Andrew Prchal, President and co-founder of Gunner Roofing "Being from Arizona, it's nice to see everybody get in the holiday spirit and the decorations around the town. From a roofing perspective, there are many different styles of rooflines out there. Some of them may be better to show off your Christmas cheer so you don’t look like the Grinch of your neighborhood."
While decorating your roof is fun, there are some precautions to take. He warns, “We preface that putting outdoor lights directly into your roofing system can potentially cause long-term damage to your roof."
2. Best Roof Types for Hanging Christmas Lights
Some roof types allow for more elaborate and visible light displays. Let’s take a look at the roof designs that can help you spread the most holiday cheer:
- Gambrel Roof: Known for its steep slopes, a Gambrel roof allows for various patterns that are visible from the street. "It allows you to have more patterns that are visible from the road because of the slope,” says Prchal.
- Hip Roof: A Hip roof gives homeowners the opportunity to create different designs on each roof facet, allowing for a more dynamic light display. "It can allow you to have different designs on each roof facet,” he notes.
- Dormer Roof: Dormer roofs offer a beautiful separation of design, adding depth to your holiday light display. “Dormer roofs can allow for a nice separation of design and give depth to the Christmas lights,” Prchal adds.
- Bonnet Roof: This type of roof can maximize light installation due to its many facets, making it easier to see from all angles.
In general, the more complex the roof, the more lights you can install. “Roofs that have more facets facing the street will be best to hang your lights on," highlights Prchal. "They will be easily seen from a drive-by, and the more facets that there are, the more lights that can be installed. Typically, the more complex roofs will allow for the highest amount of strands of bulbs.”
3. Roof Designs That May Limit Your Light Display
While some roofs offer plenty of room for creativity, others may not. Here are a few roof designs that could limit the number of lights you can safely and effectively display:
- Gable roofs tend to only allow for a small number of lights due to their steepness, which can also pose safety risks. “A Gable roof will only allow for a small number of lights, and as a steep roof, it can be a concern for safety,” Prchal advises.
- Flat roofs don’t have much slope, meaning that lights are often only visible from the front, which limits your display's visibility. “A Flat roof only allows for so many lights as they are only visible from the front,” says Prchal.
- With its lower slope, a Shed roof may not allow your lights to be seen well from the street, making it a less ideal choice for extensive holiday lighting. Prchal notes, “A Shed roof has a lower slope so you will not be able to see all of the lights, if any.”
4. Safety First: Precautions When Installing Holiday Lights
No matter what type of roof you have, safety should be your top priority when hanging lights. Climbing onto steep or complex roofs can be dangerous, especially in winter conditions. Always use proper safety equipment, and consider hiring a professional if you're unsure about the installation process.
Prchal emphasizes the importance of safety: “As a general word of caution, we ask that everyone be safe this Christmas season and only attempt what you are comfortable with. Make sure you are using the best safety precautions when installing and taking down lights or consulting with a professional to do so if you are unable!” When in doubt? A lighting display that uses a light projector gives a festive touch and will let you explore a wide variety of designs.
