While many dislike the slowly dropping temperatures, shorter days, and snowy weather, one part of fall and winter that most people feel good about is the holidays!
Fall and winter play host to numerous holidays, making them prime decorating seasons. In addition to decking out our homes for Diwali, Halloween, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and more, there is also a lot of decorating for the seasons of fall and winter themselves.
Holiday and seasonal decorations are part of what makes this time of year magical. Even if you're not a big decorator yourself, there's nothing like seeing a dark winter night lit up with holiday lights and seeing how different homeowners express their joy and love of the holidays by decorating their homes.
Some decorators like to keep things simple, while others prefer to go all out. Whichever camp you fall in, holiday and seasonal decor can sometimes cause unintended damage to our home. Because many decorations are located on and around our windows and doors, these areas are prime spots for this damage.
But we're not here to dampen your holiday spirit or tell you to avoid putting decorations up. For those who like their homes to be covered in the holiday spirit, we have the tips you need for hanging decorations in, on and around our homes without causing any damage, with a particular focus on protecting windows and doors.
Decorating is about embracing the joy of a holiday or season. You don't want that to end up causing damage to come to any part of your house, from your roof to your custom windows. Read our tips to have a damage-free holiday season.
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How Decorations Can Cause Damage
Those festive decorations can require some extra effort to ensure there's only joy and no damage. Decorations commonly cause damage when packing and unpacking them. Between dragging boxes on the floor, hanging hooks, putting in screws, adhesive products and more, there's plenty of opportunity for damage to occur.
With hanging decorations indoors or outdoors, if they haven't been properly secured, they can come crashing down, taking parts of your eavestroughs, window frames, and more with them when they do.
When it comes to operable windows, like casement windows, it's essential to ensure decorations don't interfere with the opening and closing of the window, and the same goes for doors. If they get caught in the swinging of doors or the sliding of windows, it can cause damage to windows, doors, and the decorations themselves.
As the weather cools and many families turn to candles and fireplaces for warmth and ambiance, it's also important to remember that decorations can be fire hazards. While it may seem like something from a movie, it's far more common than you might think. Stockings can catch a spark from the fireplace, or candles can catch on various window treatment options.
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Tips to Avoid Damage when Putting Up Decorations
Decorating your home has as much to do with the love and pride you feel in your home as it does the joy of the holidays, so the last thing people want to do when hanging decorations is to cause damage to their home. However, as many decorations hang from, intertwine with, and stick to different elements of a house, there is inevitable potential for damage and safety hazards.
After spending time customizing your windows and doors, the last thing you want is to scratch them, drill holes in them, get glue or adhesive stuck to them, or worse. Luckily, it's easy enough to avoid any accidents and mishaps as long as you know what to watch out for.
Windows are popular areas for decorations inside your home as they allow the whole neighbourhood to see them as well. When putting up decorations on awning windows, or any type of window, you should avoid using nails or screws directly around the windows. One of the most critical jobs windows do is protect your home from the outdoor elements. Sticking holes in them on purpose can allow cold air and excess moisture to enter the window frame. The same goes for hanging a wreath on your front door.
Also, avoid tape and any product that will likely leave behind a sticky residue or peel paint from window frames, doors or walls. The best way to hang decorations without risking damage is to use hooks with suction cups or removable self-adhesive hooks above the frame. Clean the surface first so it will stick better. When hanging decorations, always make sure the hangers and hooks you use are able to handle the weight of the object and won't come crashing down.
With windows, another option is to make good use of your curtain rod, if you have one. You can use clear fishing line or ribbons to hand decorations from the rod to sit perfectly on display in the window. However, double check that your curtain rod can handle the weight and is securely anchored to the wall.
For many, Christmas isn't complete without a tree; just take care not to scratch your floors when unpacking it. Garlands are a popular way to bring even more wintry green into your home. They can stand alone or be decorated with ornaments, ribbons, pinecones and more. Garlands are often wrapped around banisters or fireplace mantles for a festive feel. Zip ties are a great way to secure the garland to banisters without causing damage. Self-adhesive hangers and clear fishing line are good tools to support garland around fireplaces.
For exterior decor, it's vital that you check they are intended for outdoor use, including extension cords, lights, ornaments, and adhesives. Otherwise, the snow, ice or rain can damage items and could even cause a fire or electrical failure. As with indoor decor, avoid making holes in your home. Instead, use adhesive clips, shingle clips or gutter hooks.
Tips to Avoid Damage when Taking Down Decorations
It's always a little sad when the holidays are over, and it's time to take down those decorations that bring so much happiness. It can also be a little frustrating, as things never seem to want to go back in their boxes as easily as when you took them out. In general, packing decorations away feels much more like a chore than unpacking them does.
Most importantly, don't let the sadness or frustration get to you and start ripping decorations down and trying to get the process done quickly. Going slow and taking them down carefully is one of the critical things you can do to avoid unnecessary damage and wear and tear on both the decoration and your home.
Make sure you follow instructions for removing self-adhesive hooks, take down window hangings carefully, and wrap everything properly to avoid decorations breaking while in storage. When taking down exterior lights, carefully remove the hooks and clips and never pull on your lights to get them down.
Household Holiday Decorating Safety Tips
While decorations can cause damage to your house without proper precautions, there are also potential safety hazards when it comes to holiday decorations. Being aware of them and taking steps to prevent safety and fire hazards allows you to enjoy your decorations while minimizing risks.
When using candles or having a fire in the fireplace, take all precautions and never leave them unattended – and don't forget to extinguish jack-o-lantern candles. Keep candles away from walls, furniture and other decorations and out of reach of pets and children. If you love the look of candles on a Christmas tree or in any other areas where there’s a chance a fire could be started, opt for electric candles instead.
And while it may seem festive, hanging stockings on the fireplace mantle is a recipe for disaster. If this is a family tradition you don't want to give up, remove the stockings while having a fire and only put them back up once it's out.
Be sure to keep your Christmas tree far away from your fireplace and heating vents. Both artificial and real trees are fire hazards, especially dried-out trees, so ensure they have all the water they need. Another safety tip is to set up your tree away from highly trafficked areas, like hallways and doorways. If buying a new artificial Christmas tree, look for one with a fire-resistant label.
As lit candles play a big role in many holiday festivities, it's an excellent time to ensure your fire extinguisher is working and that everyone in the house is familiar with its location and how to use it.
Check all electrical cords to make sure they aren't frayed or broken and be sure you won't overload your breaker. Only use three or fewer standard-size sets of lights per single extension cord, and don't leave lights on overnight. Either turn them off before you go to bed or set an automatic timer.
If using a ladder to hang decorations either indoors or outdoors, be sure to follow proper ladder safety. When buying holiday lights, make sure they are certified by a recognized organization like the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) or the Underwriters' Laboratory of Canada (ULC).
If you have pets, be careful when choosing seasonal flowers and plants, as many can be harmful to pets, humans or both. Plants like poinsettias are poisonous to pets so if you do decorate with them, make sure they are kept out of reach of pets. Other festive plants like holly, mistletoe and firethorn are dangerous when ingested by humans and animals, so keep them away from children and pets.
For those who like to throw parties, whether for Christmas, Halloween or Diwali, be sure to keep exits clear of decorations to avoid blocking exits.
We are all about windows here at Golden Windows and love providing tips to ensure our customers get the windows they want. From window design tips to decorating tips, we want you to be happy with your windows and doors for the long haul. Follow these tips to have a damage-free holiday season!
If you do cause damage to your windows or doors, or in the process of decorating you notice they are not in as good of shape as you thought, consider replacing them. New windows and doors bring a host of benefits, including increased curb appeal, resale value, energy efficiency, security and more. As the holidays approach, why not give yourself the gift of new windows and doors? Contact us if you want to discuss your options for replacement window and doors.