Short answer: If you decorate every year and plan to stay in your home, permanent holiday lights are absolutely worth it. Professional systems run about $20 to $40 per foot, Excel Roofing's average install is about $3,500, and the system usually pays for itself within two years compared with hiring someone to hang lights. Just make sure the installer understands roofs and gutters, not just lights.
Every year, thousands of Colorado and Wyoming homeowners drag a ladder out into the cold, untangle strings of lights and climb up to the roofline to hang them. Then they do it all again in January to take them down. Permanent holiday lights promise to end that routine for good, but two questions come up almost every time: Are they actually worth the money? And is that track going to look ugly on the house all year long?
J Bretz founded Excel Roofing in 1993, and the company has been installing roofs and holiday lights across Colorado and Wyoming for 33 years. This article gives a straight answer from a roofer, not a holiday light salesman: what permanent lights look like during the day and at night, what they really cost, how long they last, and the one installation mistake that can leave holes in both your roof and your gutters.
Why Getting Off the Ladder Matters
It is worth being honest about that ladder. Every year, more than half a million Americans are treated for ladder injuries, and about 300 die. J points out that most of those deaths come from falls of 10 feet or less, which is right about the height of a typical eave.
The holidays make it worse. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that about 160 people a day end up in the emergency room from holiday decorating accidents, and falls make up at least half of them. As J puts it, the older we get, the harder we land. It is just not worth it.
What Do Permanent Holiday Lights Look Like During the Day?
This is the number one worry, and it is a fair one. Nobody wants a strip of plastic and wires on the front of the house in July.
A good permanent lighting system is hidden inside a small metal track that is color matched to your trim and the soffit it is attached to. The track sits right behind the fascia board, tucked under the gutter. From the street, you cannot even see it. At night, the lights do all the talking.
How Much Do Permanent Holiday Lights Cost in Colorado?
Professional permanent lighting systems commonly run from $20 to $40 per linear foot. Excel Roofing's systems run about $30 per foot. Expect the price to be higher for two and three story homes in Colorado and Wyoming, since taller rooflines take more time and equipment to install safely.
Excel Roofing's average install comes in at about $3,500, and financing is available for homeowners who would rather spread the cost out.
Do Permanent Lights Pay for Themselves?
Usually, yes. Paying someone to hang and take down holiday lights can cost anywhere from about $1,000 to $4,000 a year. Call it $2,000. Against an average permanent install of about $3,500, the system usually pays for itself within two years, and every season after that is money that stays in your pocket.
| Hire someone each year | Excel Roofing permanent lights | |
|---|---|---|
| Up-front cost | None | About $3,500 average install |
| Yearly cost | About $2,000 (often $1,000 to $4,000) | None to hang or take down |
| After year one | About $2,000 spent | About $3,500 spent |
| After year two | About $4,000 spent | About $3,500 spent |
| After year three | About $6,000 spent | About $3,500 spent |
Figures are typical examples. Your price depends on the length of your roofline, the number of stories and the layout of the home.
You Will Use Them All Year, Not Just in December
Here is the best part: permanent lights are not just Christmas lights. Because the system is controlled from an app, homeowners use them all year long:
- Warm white accent lighting for everyday use
- Orange and purple for Halloween
- Red, white and blue for the Fourth of July
- Team colors for Broncos and Avalanche game days
Just imagine the possibilities.
What About DIY Permanent Light Kits?
DIY kits are cheaper up front, but there is a catch. The adhesive clips most kits rely on do not hold up to Colorado and Wyoming's freeze and thaw cycles. Getting the lines perfectly straight is a real challenge. And a DIY install still puts you up on a ladder, which is the very thing most homeowners are trying to get away from.
The Installation Mistake Most Lighting Companies Will Not Tell You About
This is where a roofer's perspective matters most. Permanent lights should be mounted to the soffit, hidden underneath the gutters. They should not be mounted to the gutters, and they should not be mounted to the roof.
- Gutters move. They expand, contract and shift with the seasons.
- Gutters fill with ice. Colorado and Wyoming winters load them with snow and ice, which adds weight and stress. (Learn more about preventing ice dams.)
- Gutters need to stay sealed tight. Screwing a light system into a gutter puts holes in it and invites leaks.
J sometimes sees lights installed directly on the roof as well. Every screw that goes through the roof is a potential leak. A company that only installs lights may not think twice about it. A roofing company will.
Get Your Roof Checked Before You Install Lights
If your roof is getting older, or you just had a hailstorm, get it looked at first. Otherwise, a brand new light system may have to come down when the roof gets replaced. The smart order is simple: inspect the roof, replace it if it needs it, then install the lights. Excel Roofing often installs permanent lights at the same time as a new roof.
How Long Do Permanent Holiday Lights Last?
Quality LEDs are rated for 20 plus years. And if one light ever goes out, a good system lets you replace just that one light instead of the whole run. Excel Roofing installs Shawtech permanent lighting systems, which are covered under the company's three-year warranty.
So, Are Permanent Holiday Lights Worth It?
If you decorate every year and you are staying in your home, absolutely. Just make sure whoever installs them understands roofs and gutters, not just lights.
Schedule Your Permanent Holiday Lighting Install
Excel Roofing installs permanent holiday lighting all year round, often alongside a new roof. November and December are the busiest months for lights-only installs, so it pays to get on the schedule early.
Give Excel Roofing a call at (303) 761-6400, or use the easy online scheduler to pick a day and time that works best for you. You can also learn more on the permanent holiday lights page, and the Learning Center has videos on all of Excel Roofing's products and services.
Our promise is simple: You Don't Pay A Cent Until You're Content. Financing is available, subject to credit approval.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are permanent holiday lights worth it?
For homeowners who decorate every year and plan to stay in their home, yes. Compared with paying about $2,000 a year to have lights hung and removed, a permanent system usually pays for itself within two years and can be used all year for other holidays and game days.
How much do permanent Christmas lights cost in Colorado?
Professional permanent lighting systems commonly cost $20 to $40 per linear foot. Excel Roofing's systems run about $30 per foot, with an average install of about $3,500. Two and three story homes cost more.
Can you see permanent holiday lights during the day?
Not on a good system. The lights sit inside a small metal track that is color matched to the trim and soffit and tucked behind the fascia board under the gutter, so it is very hard to see from the street.
Should permanent lights be mounted to the gutters?
No. Gutters move, fill with ice and need to stay sealed. Permanent lights should be mounted to the soffit, hidden underneath the gutters, and never screwed into the gutters or the roof.
Do DIY permanent light kits work in Colorado?
They are cheaper, but the adhesive clips most kits use do not hold up to Colorado and Wyoming freeze and thaw cycles, straight lines are hard to achieve, and the install still requires working from a ladder.
How long do permanent holiday lights last?
Quality LEDs are rated for 20 plus years, and a good system lets you replace a single light if one goes out. Excel Roofing's Shawtech systems are covered under a three-year warranty.
Should I replace my roof before installing permanent lights?
If the roof is getting older or was recently hit by hail, have it inspected first. Otherwise the light system may need to be removed when the roof is replaced.
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