We made it through Halloween, and you know what that means…
It’s time to hang the Christmas lights!
Whether you plan to wait until Thanksgiving or already have your extension cords on standby, these holiday light-hanging tips will help you. Learn how to hang lights on gutters, even if you have gutter guards.
How to Hang Christmas Lights on Gutters
Gutters provide the perfect canvas for Christmas lights. As long as your gutters are stable and secure, you can use them to illuminate your roofline. Follow this easy guide to hang lights from gutters:
- Test your Christmas lights before installing them.
- Make sure you have a sufficient power source that’s easy to access, such as an extension cord.
- Get a partner to help while you climb the ladder.
- Use a secure ladder to safely reach the gutters, but do not hang off the gutters. Learn more: Gutter Cleaning Safety
- Use Christmas light clips to secure the lights or power cords to the guttering.
Most clips that are designed for gutters can also be used with roof shingles, so you can use the same clips throughout your exterior. Some are made to hold the cords, while others hold the individual lightbulbs upright. You can test different options to see which layout you like best.
How to Hang Christmas Lights with Gutter Guards
Gutter guards may slightly impede your lighting installation but only by a little. The way you hang Christmas lights will depend on which type of gutter guards you have. Most gutter guards are made of mesh screens. The holes in the mesh let water in and keep leaves out of the gutters. You can install special hooks in these holes to hold your holiday lights.
Search for “gutter guard light clips” or “leaf screen light hangers” to find product suggestions online. The clips will either have a stake that goes into the screen hole or hooks that grab onto the gutter guards.
Installing gutter guard light hangers takes a bit more work than traditional light clips, but it’s easy once you get the hang of it.
Important! Clean Your Gutters Before Hanging Your Christmas Lights
You should clean your gutters at the end of fall so that they work properly in the winter. Debris in your gutters may prevent the light clips from securely sinking into place. Allow some extra time to clean your gutters while you’re on the ladder, and then you’ll be set for winter.
Can I Leave My Gutter Light Clips on Year-Round?
Gutter light hangers are either made of metal or plastic. The metal ones may be subject to rusting if you leave them on all year. The plastic ones will not rust but may become brittle with prolonged weather exposure. You could leave your light clips on to speed up installation next year, but be prepared to replace broken ones as needed.
