Hanging Christmas lights - high roof

[FROGMAN524]

Anybody have a tip for hanging Christmas lights on a 20 foot roof with an extension ladder and not killing yourself? I’ve got someone to hold the bottom and considering renting a knuckle lift but that would be $$$

 

[hallett21]

Anybody have a tip for hanging Christmas lights on a 20 foot roof with an extension ladder and not killing yourself? I’ve got someone to hold the bottom and considering renting a knuckle lift but that would be $$$

Home Depot rents boom lifts for pretty cheap ($300-400 a day). You really can only work 6ft at a time from an extension ladder. You’ll be done in half the time with a lift.

 

[H20 Toie]

Cheaper to hire company to install. think of how much you save on hospital bills, plus they do great job, better than me anyway

 

[monkeyswrench]

My old house in Alta Loma, I'd hang the eave lights from the roof deck, leaning over.
I was a roofer though, and did that stuff a lot. Roofers, as a whole, have also never been accused of being bright.

Please don't try my way...
Make sure the ladder base is kicked out the proper distance. It keeps good weight at the eave, which helps keep things more stable.

 

[callbob]

Bah humbug

 

[WYRD]

 

[bowtiejunkie]

My peak is around 23ft, so I bought a fiberglass 28ft rated at 300lbs, figuring the heft of the ladder would be more stable. Also, got the extension ladder stabilizer. It's a pain to be honest moving it into place as I'm a weak ass. I use a 16ft extension ladder for shorter reaches. Pretty much no other neighbor hangs their own lights. So, I enjoy being that crazy neighbor risking life and limb to save a few bucks. lol.

 

[Long Way Home]

Towable Articulating Manlift, Various sizes to pick from, Easy to use, split with a friend/neighbor.

 

[gqchris]

Im hiring people this year to do it. I read somewhere that after 50 its not worth the risk of fall and it makes sense!

 

[hallett21]

Im hiring people this year to do it. I read somewhere that after 50 its not worth the risk of fall and it makes sense!

I’m 33 and fuck that lol. Either use the right equipment or don’t do it. I’m sure you saw plenty of falls on the bambalance.

I’ve done way too many sketchy things to save myself or a customer a buck. I’m done being the “nice guy” lol.

My wife had a 70 year old guy last year in the ER who fell 10-15ft. Broke his hip and had to army crawl for 2 hours before he could get to the curb to get help.

 

[Luvnlife]

I’m surprised I’ve never been injured with all the highlights and decorations I’ve hung

 

[BHC Vic]

I lay on my stomach and hang over. It’s a good time. I have double stacked Perry’s with outriggers too though

 

[Activated]

I lay on my stomach and hang over. It’s a good time. I have double stacked Perry’s with outriggers too though

I quit that shit about 10 years ago when I started to slide off the second story. Started paying people to hang them but got tired of replacing roof tiles each year, people just don’t give a shit. No lights on the second story any more and we do more yard stuff now. Plus the cost of paying someone doubled…no thanks.

 

[CoolCruzin]

I put lights on the bushes and call it done .
Last year I did nothing. I did get a lump of coal in my stocking from the wife .
This not sure what I’ll do this year.

 

[crzy2bealive]

I get a little crazy

 

[JFMFG]

Anybody have a tip for hanging Christmas lights on a 20 foot roof with an extension ladder and not killing yourself? I’ve got someone to hold the bottom and considering renting a knuckle lift but that would be $$$

I have my wife hold the bottom and let my legs shake the entire time. No guts no glory. But I’m not the smartest person on the forum.

 

[Javajoe]

I installed GOVEE Permanent Lights a couple years ago. Got tired of the yearly hassle. Always stapled them to keep them straight. Still gotta wrap the tall palms. That’s pretty sketchy. I do it for the wife. Im 58 so it’s more sketchy every year. With the GOVEE she can make them all blue for fallen LEO’s or run other variations for other Holidays

 

[BHC Vic]

I quit that shit about 10 years ago when I started to slide off the second story. Started paying people to hang them but got tired of replacing roof tiles each year, people just don’t give a shit. No lights on the second story any more and we do more yard stuff now. Plus the cost of paying someone doubled…no thanks.

Yup exactly why I don’t let people walk on my dad’s tile roof. They don’t care and break tiles and don’t say anything. I won’t let my dad do it anymore either. It’s sketchy. My house is low and I have hooks so it’s fast and easy

 

[BHC Vic]

I installed GOVEE Permanent Lights a couple years ago. Got tired of the yearly hassle. Always stapled them to keep them straight. Still gotta wrap the tall palms. That’s pretty sketchy. I do it for the wife. Im 58 so it’s more sketchy every year. With the GOVEE she can make them all blue for fallen LEO’s or run other variations for other Holidays

I want to figure out a clean way to attach permanent lights. Maybe I’ll fix Directv’s handy work while I’m at it

 

[Rajobigguy]

Star shower. Plug it in, point it and done. Time for a beer.

 

[Ziggy]

Lol, I can reach the 80' of my eaves that I hang lights on without a ladder(albeit on my tippytoes).
I also don't rush Christmas, it's a strictly post-Thanksgiving chore....just sayin'

 

[HNL2LHC]

Shocked the most important tip has not been posted in the first 20 posts.

#1 tip…..Don’t fall!!!

 

[C_J_J_C]

I think two story houses look like doo doo when they only have lights on the first floor so for 10+ years I hung icicle lights by climbing on the roof.
About 5 years ago a co-worker fell off his ladder hanging lights and almost died. He was only 33 and extreamly fit, crossfit guy. He lived but will never be the same. I went to hang my lights about two weeks later and nope... I was shaking and sweating thinking about what happened.

We now do large inflatables and those silly led projecting lights from the ground.

 

[BUDMAN]

I didn’t do it. I don’t want to die!

 

[Mikes56]

Like most guys have already said, fuck that don’t do it. It’s not worth the risk of a fall.

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

Hire someone

 

[Orange Juice]

If you have a gardener, chances are you got someone hanging the exterior light too.

 

[Hardly Satisfied]

View attachment 1451325

View attachment 1451326

I get a little crazy

Looks Awesome

 

[Hardly Satisfied]

I don’t do Christmas lights on the 2nd level or the roof anymore but me and my daughter got ours up early this year

 

[Cray Paper]

Been putting Christmas lights on my house's for 30+ years. Learned to take the time to screw in S hooks behind the facia boards. Add a couple more S hooks where the typical 8' ish cord end is. The chineasum S hooks last much longer if they are not in the weather. Pulling the lights off is easy with a telescopic pole. I am about to roll over to 55 YO and this year had me contemplating not doing lights on the upper roof. My company had a superintendent fall off his roof last December putting lights up that along with other health issues ended his working career.

I have a 6/12 pitch roof and said F it and installed lights this year on the 3rd floor eves. Sucks getting older, but I can still walk a roof and got it done. The home my ex wife got in the divorce had a 12/12 roof and it was sketch as fuck putting lights on the 2nd floor. Have to think outside the box and dont park vehicles in the driveway when you can fall on them. The backside of my last house was about 40' off the ground, not survivable in a free fall situation. If you don't trust yourself in those conditions pay someone to put your lights up. Not worth being permanently disabled or worse.

 

[endobear]

I suck at most things. Setting and climbing ladders isn't one of them..
Stay safe...

 

[4Waters]

Im hiring people this year to do it. I read somewhere that after 50 its not worth the risk of fall and it makes sense!

You're not "over" 50 yet so you're still good

 

[bilz]

Cup hooks and an old broom handle with a bent nail in the end that's how I used to do it. Now, just plastic figures and lights on the ground.

 

[Angler]

My old house in Alta Loma, I'd hang the eave lights from the roof deck, leaning over.
I was a roofer though, and did that stuff a lot. Roofers, as a whole, have also never been accused of being bright.

Please don't try my way...
Make sure the ladder base is kicked out the proper distance. It keeps good weight at the eave, which helps keep things more stable.

I stopped doing that at 56. Too old for that crap.
I just put lights above the garage and my porch,.

 

[rivrrts429]

I’ve been in the construction industry for 25 years and every single year the most injuries and most injury prone piece of equipment on a job site is a ladder.

I don’t do ladders. I don’t want to end up in some Halo neck brace gear celebrating Christmas Day and New Years all for some lights

 

[FROGMAN524]

If you have a gardener, chances are you got someone hanging the exterior light too.

I AM the gardner.

 

[Dan Lorenze]

I have retired myself from using an extension ladder, just not worth the risk being in my 50's. I have one taller peak to my house over the garage, I'll back my truck up next to the house and use an 8 step ladder in the bed of the truck and get the string of lights to the hooks on the peak. It's not too bad and stable. Love having a single story house.

 

[Mike Honcho]

Okay I have a solution for all of you height challenged folks out there. I did this for a friend once years ago and wish I took pictures of how and it finished. He had hooks installed on the eves and I took a pool cleaning extension pole and bolted an eye hook that we bent a little bo peep in that we lifted the light cord and stretched it and hooked it on the eye hook. It actually worked very well and now a few others started using the same program in his neighborhood. There was no ladder limbing what so ever and easy to take down the same way.

Good luck.

 

[boatnam2]

Guy down the street from me fell last year and died, 6ft ladder, lower stuff will bite you as many think you're not falling that far, guy I work with same thing, broke his femur big time, on a cane for good.

 

[DrunkenSailor]

26' Home Depot budget 3 in 1 gorilla ladder at the very edge of its reach set on uneven grass is how I roll... I think I'm gonna die every time I climb it.

 

[JL95]

I was trimming the man door out for my garage and apparently i tried to step where the ladder wasn't, picture top of the door waist high. I pretty much did a front flip straight onto the concrete onto my neck and back LMFAO. Lucky im pretty beefy and in my 20's. Most definitely would have taken a frail person off this earth lol.

 

[monkeyswrench]

I was trimming the man door out for my garage and apparently i tried to step where the ladder wasn't, picture top of the door waist high. I pretty much did a front flip straight onto the concrete onto my neck and back LMFAO. Lucky im pretty beefy and in my 20's. Most definitely would have taken a frail person off this earth lol.

Having done the roofing thing for a living, had a few falls. To date though, the worst was 5 years ago...got knocked off a plank on scaffolding. Plinko'd down four sections. Hit the ground like yesterday's soxs. Broke a couple ribs and looked like I lost a cage match. Not bad, considering.

One of many reminders why I try not to do construction anymore.

 

[DLC]

A buddy just bought Grovee lights

Costco has a 100 ft kit
It’s a more permanent light set up - can be used year round & set up to music / strobe etc

LED Smart Lights | Collection

Govee offers superior-quality smart home products, including smart light bulbs, LED strip lights, and indoor thermometers for a colorful and convenient ...

us.govee.com

 

[Cray Paper]

Okay I have a solution for all of you height challenged folks out there. I did this for a friend once years ago and wish I took pictures of how and it finished. He had hooks installed on the eves and I took a pool cleaning extension pole and bolted an eye hook that we bent a little bo peep in that we lifted the light cord and stretched it and hooked it on the eye hook. It actually worked very well and now a few others started using the same program in his neighborhood. There was no ladder limbing what so ever and easy to take down the same way.

Good luck.

I get what your saying, but you still need the hooks to hang the wires on though. I am sorta a perfectionist, so horizontal cords hanging below the facia really bother me. Lights strings have to be taught and just display the bulbs.

 

[Cray Paper]

Guy down the street from me fell last year and died, 6ft ladder, lower stuff will bite you as many think you're not falling that far, guy I work with same thing, broke his femur big time, on a cane for good.

I have worked with several hundred / thousand people on ladders when I was a bags on carpenter and none of them died going up and down. I get it when you are older, I am getting closer to that age of stepping away from ladders and learning it's an age timeline thing to be respective deal. Just need to put it in perspective brother. I say that as I am getting close to being in your window of opportunity!

 

[Willie B]

… Some years ago, I had Christmas lights around my front yard didn’t want to get up on a ladder and hook them to the eaves… Well, as it turned out, somebody stole all my Christmas lights… Had a pretty good idea who it was… And my buddy the neighborhood cop said Bill do you think it really was him? I said it sure looks like it… neighborhood cop got the guy deported

 

[boatnam2]

I have worked with several hundred / thousand people on ladders when I was a bags on carpenter and none of them died going up and down. I get it when you are older, I am getting closer to that age of stepping away from ladders and learning it's an age timeline thing to be respective deal. Just need to put it in perspective brother. I say that as I am getting close to being in your window of opportunity!

Yep! when I was a young buck, I use to work high rise as a brick tender and you spent the day on scaffolding on outside of building, no tie off, no net no nothing for safety, I use to swing around like a monkey, lifting bricks all day you can do that lol, as time has passed and towards the end of working I didn't like climbing up on high towers or big ladders or scaffolding. I have fell doing dumb shit on a ladder before, got about 6 of them on side of house growing weeds lol

 

[Zed]

These work great. Hang most of my lights from the ground. For the peaks I'm on the 2nd or 3rd step of the ladder with the pole and its good!

Amazon.com

 

[Mike Honcho]

I get what your saying, but you still need the hooks to hang the wires on though. I am sorta a perfectionist, so horizontal cords hanging below the facia really bother me. Lights strings have to be taught and just display the bulbs.

I have the hooks placed so the bulb and socket when stretched taught the hook holds the socket tight.
When using the pole I place the bulb in the end of the pole and stretch it and place the cord over the hook. It works for me but every situation is different, I understand just a type of solution that allows people not to have to climb.
If your using plastic clips (which I hate do to wind) it maybe harder but an eye hook or j hook bolted through helped my friend hang his and his older neighbor.

 

[EmpirE231]

What a bunch of sissy’s!

Due to inflation and risk of injury, I now keep my lights up year-round. Problem solved