Takedown & Storage · Kitchener

Christmas Light Takedown and Storage in Kitchener

Getting the lights down is the part nobody plans for. In Kitchener it happens in January, when the average daily high is below freezing, the eavestroughs often carry ice, and the ladder is sitting on snow.

Takedown is scheduled from early January, on days when the roof edge is clear enough to work. Clips come off the eavestrough and shingle edge without prying, strings are checked as they come down, and anything damaged is noted. Nothing is yanked off an icy gutter; if the clips are frozen in, the visit waits for a thaw.

Labelled storage

• By run. Each string is labelled with where it went: front eave, left gable, porch, maple. Next fall it goes back exactly where it was, which is faster and looks the same.
• Tested. Strings are tested before storage and again before reinstall. Failed strings are replaced, not patched.
• Stored dry. Off-site in bins, or in your garage if you prefer, coiled so they do not kink.

Lease or own

There are two ways to pay for seasonal lights. You can own them, with takedown and storage as a service. Or the installer supplies the lights each year as part of the price, so you never buy, store or replace a string. Which suits depends on how long you plan to keep the display and whether you want to change it. The terms of either are set out in writing in the quote, not promised here.

Your own lights

If you put up your own lights and just want them down and stored properly, that is quoted too. Strings that are frayed or have exposed wire are set aside to be discarded, which is what Health Canada advises.

Timing

Eavestroughs and clips

Clips that grip the eavestrough lip are designed to slide off, not to be pulled. On older Kitchener houses with spike-hung gutters, a hard pull on a frozen string can lever a section of eavestrough away from the fascia, which is a spring repair nobody wanted. Takedown is done by hand, clip by clip, from the ladder, and any gutter or shingle damage noticed along the way is photographed and passed on to you, not ignored.

Most takedowns happen in the first three weeks of January. A January thaw opens the best days. If the lights need to stay up for a later date, say so when booking.

Frequently asked questions

Serving Kitchener and surrounding areas. Contact us for a no-obligation quote specific to your property.