Types of Gutter Clips for Hanging Holiday Lights on Gutters
Gutter clips attach easily to your gutters. In fact, you just press them into place inside of the gutter and they snap onto the top of the gutter.
A key benefit of gutter clips is that they’re easy to remove, and won’t damage any exterior surface. Plus, they’re affordable and you can leave them on year-round, if you like. A few gutter clip options for Christmas lights include:
- Horizontal Clips – This type of clip easily snaps on to the gutter, and the light hangs horizontally. This type of clip usually holds the wire in place, and they’re useful for creating traditional home outlines.
- Vertical Clips – Vertical clips attach similar to horizontal ones. The key difference is that the bulb points up. This type of clip usually holds the bulb in place, rather than the wire, and they’re great for larger C7 or C9 bulb Christmas lights.
- Shingle Tabs – Shingle tabs easily slide underneath asphalt shingles. They can be used in tandem with clips, if you want your holiday lighting display to follow along eaves and up slopes.
- Adhesive Clips – This type of clip adheres to the gutter. They’re probably best used if you’re looking to use the same clips long-term or if you have gutter guards installed. The only downside is that ice and snow can cause the adhesive to fail, resulting in drooping light strands.
Another option is to use an all-in-one clip. This type of clip allows you to choose either a horizontal or vertical installation.
Can You Hang Lights on Gutters with Gutter Guards?
Gutter guards fully cover the top of the gutter, which prevents you from installing clips. But fortunately, there are some easy options for installing Christmas lights on gutters with guards. Here are some choices:
- Adhesive Clips – You can use an adhesive clip on the top of the guard or on the front of the gutter. These are great, but can be difficult to remove. If you’re using them on the front of the gutters, it’s best if you plan to leave them in place all year-round. Otherwise, you might damage the paint, when trying to remove them.
- Shingle Tabs – Shingle tabs are probably the best option, if your home has asphalt shingles. Tabs slide underneath the shingle, and make it easy to quickly install Christmas lights. They don’t cause damage, but a potential downfall is that sometimes they don’t stay in place due to sliding snow.
- Under-Gutter Installs – Another great option is to install lights underneath the gutters. You can use adhesive clips or a shingle tab, which slips behind the gutter in the eave. This type of install looks great, and can help you create a classic roofline lighting design.
Tips for Hanging Lights on Gutters
When you install lights on gutters, you might be inclined to just string several strands together. Unfortunately, too many lights strung together can overload a circuit and trip the breaker. That’s especially true if you’re using incandescent lights. Here are some tips for hanging lights on your gutters:
- Measure First – Get a general measurement of how much lighting you will need. Typically, light strands are available in 25-foot lengths. If your gutter line is 100 feet long, you would need four strands.
- Consider Length – LED lights are much more efficient, and you can connect a lot more strands than you would with incandescent lights. If you’re using incandescent lights, you’ll only want to limit the number of light strings you connect to 3-5 strands. With LEDs, you can connect 10+ strings without a problem.
- Choose the Right Clip – Finally, you’ll want to choose the right clip. Most clips allow for a wide range of bulb sizes. But some are designed only for larger bulbs, while others only affix to 22-gauge wire. Be sure the clips you choose will accommodate the size lighting you’ll be installing.
Choose Professional Christmas Light Installation
Save yourself from a weekend on the ladder this year! Clean and Clear Lighting provides Christmas light installation throughout the Twin Cities. If you need help planning and installing Christmas lights, we can help!
Call today for a free estimate or to learn more about our process. We provide an all-in-one solution: Design, installation, maintenance and take-down!
