Is It Safe to Hang Christmas Lights Yourself?
A single-story roofline on a dry afternoon is doable for many homeowners, but steep pitches, two-story peaks, icy mornings and tall trees are where hiring a trained, insured crew is the safer call.
Every fall we hear the same thing: "I used to do it myself, but I'm done climbing the ladder." Hanging lights isn't hard in theory. The risk is in the height, the footing and the timing.
Here's how to think about it before you pull the ladder out of the garage.
Where the real risk is
Most problems come from ladders and roofs, not the lights themselves.
- Setting a ladder on frozen or uneven ground
- Overreaching instead of moving the ladder
- Walking a roof with frost, dew or a dusting of snow
- Two-story gables and steep pitches
- Working alone with nobody to steady the ladder
Treasure Valley weather makes it harder
By late November, Boise mornings are often below freezing, and shingles can stay slick well into the day. Wind out of the foothills makes long runs of light awkward to handle up high. Waiting for a warm, dry window often pushes DIY installs later than people want.
If you do it yourself
A few habits make a big difference:
- Work in the afternoon once the roof is dry
- Have a second person on the ground
- Use clips made for your gutter or shingle type — never nails or staples
- Use outdoor-rated cords and plug into GFCI outlets
- Skip anything you can't reach comfortably from a stable position
When hiring a pro makes sense
Our crews are trained, harnessed on steep roofs, and insured. We custom-fit commercial-grade C9 bulbs to your roofline, fix any problems during the season, then take everything down and store it in January. You never touch a ladder.
Common questions
- Do you install on two-story homes?
- Yes. Two-story rooflines and tall peaks are a big part of what we do, using proper roof safety gear.
- Can you hang lights I already own?
- Ask us when you request a quote. We usually install our own commercial-grade lights so we can stand behind them all season.