(If you're not a professional Christmas Light Installer)
(Pure white C9s 360 around the house. For the light geeks: Shingle clips, gutter clips, and magnet clips, male & female vampires, extension wire, a 3 outlet adapter, and a timer)
So what exactly makes a professional light display 'professional'?
Professional quality lights and materials
Custom fit lights for your home's unique roofline
Visual Aesthetics: no visible wires, bulb directly ontop of peaks, etc.
Saftey: education/ awareness, PPE, training, and insurance
Full service 1. Installation 2. Mantienance 3. Takedown
I won't bore you with all the secret details or ins n outs of running a professional holiday light business, but if you'd like to be a DIY hero or learn how to create a professional Christmas Light Display, look no further.
Ready to light your home up like the pros?
Tip #1 - Dream. Start with the end in mind.
What does your dream lighting display look like? Where can you find inspiration? What is the vibe you'd like to create?
Watch Christmas movies. Surf the web. Scroll on socail medias. Go look at other profesional displays. Get the creative idea juices flowing. And of course, ask your significant other. Once you get some ideas goin, break it down. Look at the rooflines, poles/columns, outlining (windows, garage etc.), trees, and lawn decor. To simplify, think: roof, poles, trees.
What features does your unique home have? Where would you like to add lights? What colors/ patterns would compliment your home?
Get a general idea of what you'd like to create and explore various light and decor options from commerical grade distributors!
Once you have an idea of what you'd like to do...
Tip #2 - Draw it out. 'The blueprints'
Take a picture of your house. Use a drawing app or Chirstmas Light app like "Jolly Lights" to add lights to your home and create a gameplan. Highlight the peaks, gutters, rooflines, trees, poles, and anything else you'd like to do. Play with the colors, design, and pattern until you come up with something that meets your liking, and don't forget to ask your partner!
Now that you know what you're doing and have a blueprint for it, it's time for...
"All of the lights."- Kanye West
Tip #3 - Get Quality Lights.
No Walmart. No Home Depot. No retail lights. Professional lights are purchased from a distributor. Look up comercial grade Holiday Lights, find a local distributor, or place an order online to be shipped right to your home.
Material List: (Not okay to get at Home Depot)
C9 LED Bulbs
C9 Stringer
Commercail Christmas Light Wire
Male & Female Vampires
Wide angle mini light strings
Gutter Clips
Shingle Clips
Timer
Tools: (Okay to get at Home Depot)
Wire Cutters
Pliers
Ladder/s
Extension Pole
Before you place your order, measure your roofline and the areas you'd like to light up. A tape measure can work but walking wheel measures is much better, you can even simply walk a consistent stride and count your steps to measure. Trace the peaks in a triangular shape as if on the ground, starting at the bottom left moving up to the peak or tip and then back down. Add up how many every feet, always round up and order a little more supply wise to be safe!
Now you know all the materials you need to create a magical Holiday Light display. What next?
Tip #4 - Learn How to install the lights..
If you don't know a professional in the holiday light industry, your second best option is... YouTube, a phenominal resource that can teach you everything you need to know and more about professional holiday light installation from real professionals and business owners. Monkey see, monkey do.
Sure you know how to screw the stinkin bulbs in already, but can you make the male and female conections between peaks, to your mini strands on the poles, or to your timer? This is where our dear friend YouTube comes in.. Pay special attention here to the specifics of how the pros make connections, there's a certain way electricity can flow through wires. When adding male/female vampires, one specific side of the wire has to always be to the right side..
Yes, there's two parts/sides to the wire! Know the difference and always pay attention to detail!
Tip #5 - Install the lights. Bring the magic to life.
You've come along way since tip 1 and now you're ready to create your dream display! Before you begin, remember safety is the most important factor of all.
Take care of yourself, know where you are on the roof and what's around you at all times. Watch some ladder safety videos, use PPE if needed, you could invest in a pitch hopper, goat laddder, full body harness. It's also a good idea to always have someone around while you're on the roof to hold the ladder, give you a hand with something, or just be there in case things go South. I always keep a First Aid Kit in my truck just in case.
A brief step by step for installation.
Prep equipment and materials, lay out it out
Install bulbs and clips on the ground
Get the ladders up properly
Get the lights on the roof
Install the lights ( I prefer to go left to right, top story down)
Make the connections
Wrap the poles/ trees
Double check and make sure everything is conected properly
Add the timer
Do a bulb check
Light it up!
And now you know how to do holiday lights like a professional. Rinse and repeat this process a few hundred times and like anyhting else, you'll master it! Good luck with all your Holiday Light endeavors and be safe out there!
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