Santa has a lot of deliveries to make on Christmas Eve, travelling over 66,000,000 kilometres in one night. Understandably, he doesn’t have much time to spare. If Santa can’t land his sleigh and reindeer on the roof, will he skip your house altogether? Of course not! Here is how to make the reindeers’ runway – oops, we mean your roof – ready for Santa this Christmas.
Do a Roof Inspection
Regular inspections are a budget-friendly way to keep your roof in good shape, not just for the holiday season, but all year round. Before Christmas conduct a visual inspection, with binoculars, either from the ground or a ladder. Look for missing shingles, damp patches that never seem to dry up, and debris collecting in the roof valleys or around protrusions such as a skylight or the chimney. Make any minor repairs and schedule a roofing contractor for more serious issues.
Get a Pro to Inspect the Roof
You might wonder if the roof is strong enough to hold Santa, eight reindeer, the sleigh, and all those gifts. Technically, the combined weight is approximately 75 times more than what a standard residential roof can bear. But there’s no accounting for Christmas magic! Your roof will be able to support Santa just fine.
For other days of the year, pay attention to the roof load. Roof load (maximum weight a roof can withstand without collapsing) might change over time due to a variety of factors including the age of the house, significant variations in annual snowfall, renovations to the attic, or too much foot traffic on the roof. Signs a roof is experiencing stress are:
- Sagging ceilings (interior)
- Sagging roof lines (exterior)
- Cracks in the drywall (interior)
- Cracks in trim around windows and doors (interior/exterior)
- Shifting walls (interior)
- Unusual sounds from the roof or weight-bearing walls
- Doors that don’t open or close properly
You might want to get a roofing pro to inspect the roof this winter if your home experiences any of the above or if the roof is over 25 years old.
Remove Debris from the Roofing System
Especially if you didn’t get a chance to clean the roof or the gutters this fall, try to get around to it before winter (and Santa) arrive. Leaving leaves, pine cones, and bits of twigs on top of the shingles might seem unimportant – they’ll blow off eventually, right?. However, that’s not always the case. When debris becomes wet, it can adhere to the surface of the roof where it traps in moisture, damaging the shingles. You don’t want Santa stepping on soft spots!
Clogged gutters could compromise the sturdiness of your roof. Blockages in the gutters and downspouts cause overflowing, splashing up into the soffit, fascia, and the first row of roofing shingles, or pooling near the foundation. Runoff not channeled properly off of the roof and into the downpipes encourages leaks, mold growth, and wood rot.
Check the Chimney
If your home has a chimney make sure Santa has easy access to it. Check the chimney for any obstructions, soot build-up, or damaged flashing.
Christmas Lights and Holiday Decorations
Holiday curb appeal wouldn’t be complete without Christmas lights and holiday decorations on the roof. They give a festive feel to your home’s exterior. But don’t forget Santa and Rudolf.
Christmas lights: Hang lights and small decorations such as snowflakes, angels, and elves from the gutters with care. Attach a clip to the base of each light in the string to protect the gutter system. Use self-adhesive hooks for décor you want to hang from the gutters. Never use tacks, staples or nails.
Holiday decorations: Your roof is Santa’s runway – less is more. When decorating the roof with inflatables, limit the number. Before mounting on the roof, inflate it on the ground and measure it. You won’t be able to secure it properly if it won’t fit or blocks Santa’s path.
