Play | Download (Right Click, Save As...)

I love Christmas lights. Don’t get me wrong… I’m not like Clark Griswald with one of those out-of-control displays. But I do think a few strings of lights here and there add a festive feeling to a home. The problem is that most people use nails or staples to hang them and that’s bad news for your house. If you leave the fasteners there after the holidays, they’re unsightly and they rust. If you remove them, they leave unsightly holes that invite moisture into the wood, causing decay and damage. Instead, try using those little plastic hooks from the home center designed to slip under the bottom row of shingles and hold the lights. For window frames there are self adhesive Velcro tabs that secure the strings and on railings you can use good old fashioned plastic zip ties.