How Christmas Lights Go Up Without Damaging Your Roof

September 22nd, 2026

By Ben McBurney, It’s A Wonderful Light

A lot of homeowners ask about the roof before anything else, and it’s a fair thing to wonder. You want the house lit up for the holidays and a roof that looks the same in January. At It’s A Wonderful Light we hang roofline lights with removable plastic clips. We never use staples. The clips hold onto the edge of a shingle or the lip of a gutter and come off again after the season.

Brick two-story house with warm white roofline lights, a wreath on the gable, lit garland on the porch and evergreens in blue and multicolor lights beside the driveway — Warm white along the roofline, a wreath on the gable and garland on the porch.

Quick answers

Nothing is stapled to your roof or gutters.
Cords are tucked out of sight and every connection is taped against water.
A timer turns the lights on and off, so you never have to plug them in.
In January we take it all down and come back a second time for the clips.

What holds the lights up?

Each strand of roofline lights clips onto the house. The clip slides over the bottom edge of a shingle or hooks onto the front of the gutter. Nothing goes through the shingle.

Stone, brick and window trim often have nothing for a clip to grab. In those spots we use a removable adhesive that also comes off at takedown.

We don’t use staples at all. A staple leaves a hole in the shingle and can nick the wire inside the cord.

Two installers on ladders hanging lights along the peak of a brick gable — Two of our installers clipping lights along a gable peak.

Where do the cords go?

We run the extension cords along the roofline and down a corner of the house where they’re hard to see. Every connection gets wrapped in commercial grade water-resistant tape. Water in a connection is a common reason a section of lights goes out.

The cord ends at a timer in an outdoor outlet, and we set the timer for you. Your lights come on every evening without anyone heading out in the cold to plug them in.

Do you work on two-story homes and steep roofs?

Yes. A lot of the houses in our gallery are two stories with steep gables and dormers. Our crews are trained on the equipment and on safety. If there’s a part of your roof you’re unsure about, send a photo with your quote request and our designer will take a look.

Stone house with four garage bays, rooflines outlined in warm white lights, wreaths with red bows on three gables and a lit garland arch over the entry — Every roofline on this house is lit, including the dormers and the garage.

What happens in January?

We take everything down in January. Then we come back a second time to pick up every clip and bit of adhesive. The takedown and storage page has the dates.

One customer, Sarah M., wrote in a review: “We appreciate the ease in placing our order, efficient set up and take down.”

Are you insured?

Yes. We’re licensed and insured. The installation page explains how we protect your home during installation.

Displays start at $1,500 and the design and quote are free. Send us a photo of your house through the design page or call 630-201-9627. We’d love to help you light up your home this season.