How to prevent wind gusts from blowing my icicle lights onto my roof?

jacknbella

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Yes, I know, it's way too early to hang XMAS lights. However, we have a neighbor kid (his name is Dax) who was just told he would not live thru Christmas (brain cancer I think, maybe leukemia). Anywho, apparently, the story made CNN last night and our neighborhood is pulling together to celebrate XMAS early by displaying our XMAS lights much earlier than normal so he can enjoy one last XMAS with his parents.

This leads to my question... I have about 2000 icicle lights to hang this weekend and it's rather easy to hook them up using those special plastic roof hooks. The problem is, the front of my home faces due north so winter wind gusts tend to blow the icicle lights onto the roof rendering them useless. Does anyone have a trick to keeping them in position so they always hang down as planned? Boater owners/operators are clever people so I need your collective help!

Thanks in advance!
 

Bob_VT

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Re: How to prevent wind gusts from blowing my icicle lights onto my roof?

Handful of fishing sinkers attached at the ends?
 

jacknbella

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Re: How to prevent wind gusts from blowing my icicle lights onto my roof?

Using sinkers was my 1st thought too, however, they would need to be rather large sinkers because we don't have any trees in the neighborhood to slow down the wind...and believe me, winter winds are fierce around here. If the sinkers are too heavy, they might pull the roof hooks out from underneath the shingles...

If another solution doesn't present itself, I will try sinkers... Thanks!!!
 

jacknbella

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Re: How to prevent wind gusts from blowing my icicle lights onto my roof?

Oh yeah, in case anyone is interested, Google "Dax Locke" for the story of the little boy with terminal leukemia...
 

Huron Angler

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Re: How to prevent wind gusts from blowing my icicle lights onto my roof?

First of all it's very thoughtful of you to do this...reminds us how lucky we are;)

Secondly maybe just a ruler or small piece of wood stapled to the house and have the lights taped to it? Wouldn't win any awards for ingenuity but may keep the lights from blowing around.

Good luck:)
 

Bob_VT

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Re: How to prevent wind gusts from blowing my icicle lights onto my roof?

Or even monofiliment which is real cheap and tie the bottoms down
 

TilliamWe

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Re: How to prevent wind gusts from blowing my icicle lights onto my roof?

and believe me, winter winds are fierce around here...

He's not kidding folks! I moved here ten years ago, in November, and asked a co-worker if the wind always blew like this (It was a day with 30mph winds). Her response was, "Like what?"

The weathermen around here refer to 25mph as a "breezy day", and only when the winds top 50mph, do they call it "gusty"!!!

Good luck Jack, I have never hung lights, so I don't have any tried and true Peoria County solutions for you. Maybe you could drive to Tazewell County and see how they do it? Cause you know their lights stay up all year round! :)
 

jacknbella

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Re: How to prevent wind gusts from blowing my icicle lights onto my roof?

I actually live in Tazewell county so I'm not sure what you meant by saying we leave our lights up year round :confused:

Using mono line is a good idea, however, tie them to what?
 

JRJ

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Re: How to prevent wind gusts from blowing my icicle lights onto my roof?

Wow, good on you and the rest. Sad deal.
 

TilliamWe

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Re: How to prevent wind gusts from blowing my icicle lights onto my roof?

I actually live in Tazewell county so I'm not sure what you meant by saying we leave our lights up year round :confused:

?

Think Pekin, the real heart of Tazewell! :)
 

Bass Man Bruce

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Re: How to prevent wind gusts from blowing my icicle lights onto my roof?

God bless all you folks for pitching in to help.
How about a piece of mono or braided horizontally from each strand to the next and then you just tie off the two ends like you sometimes see on trffic lights.
 

Splat

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Re: How to prevent wind gusts from blowing my icicle lights onto my roof?

God bless all you folks for pitching in to help.
How about a piece of mono or braided horizontally from each strand to the next and then you just tie off the two ends like you sometimes see on trffic lights.

That was my thought, maybe down spout to downspout?

Bill
 

kenmyfam

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Re: How to prevent wind gusts from blowing my icicle lights onto my roof?

Good on you for doing this. Brought a lump to my throat !!!
I had the same thing with the icicle lights and short of hanging some weight on them found nothing else that worked. After they have been blown around by the wind I always found that half of one string would go out. Gave up on the icicle lights last Christmas and now have all LED lights. Not as pretty but much more functional.
You are doing a wonderful thing for the family.
 

HAV2FISH

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Re: How to prevent wind gusts from blowing my icicle lights onto my roof?

We use chicken wire for this problem. I cut strips about 1 1/2 to 2 feet wide, place one side under the bottom layer of your shingles and then fold it down over the gutter. I then hang my lights from the gutter like normal and zip tie the lights to the chicken wire in random spots. You cant see the wire from the road with the lights on.
 
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