Gutter guards are an excellent way to reduce gutter maintenance, but they make hanging Christmas lights a little more complicated. Because gutter guards come in different styles, learning how to hang Christmas lights with gutter guards varies depending on your situation. You may be able to slip a light clip under the guard on the outer edge of the gutter. However, many guards are tightly attached to the gutter. There are adhesive light clips on the market that you can stick on the bottom of the gutters instead. These offer the ideal solution, especially because clips that go under your shingles should be avoided.

How to Hang Christmas Lights with Gutter Guards

1. Measure the length of the gutter areas to determine how many strings of lights that you need to buy. You can do this from ground level.
2. Position your ladder on stable ground.
3. Climb up to examine your gutter guards.
4. If your guards allow you to slip a clip under them on the outer edge, you might want to choose a basic gutter light clip.
5. If clipping onto the gutter would disturb the guards too much, opt for an adhesive clip.
6. Use your smartphone to take a picture of the gutter guard and roof line. The image will help you as you shop for clips at the store.
7. If necessary, purchase a small quantity of clips and test them out to see which type works best.
8. After making a decision, purchase clips in the necessary quantity.
9. Before starting to hang Christmas lights on gutter guards, test your light strings while still on the ground. It’s best to look for bulbs or strings which are not working before you hang them.
10. Locate an outdoor electrical outlet and plan your power connection.
11. Choose an outdoor-rated extension cord long enough to reach your lights.
12. Adding a ground fault circuit interrupter to the system is a great idea. Heavy rain or snow could interfere with electrical flow. The circuit interrupter protects your home’s wiring from damage.
13. Now you’re ready to finish learning how to hang Christmas lights with gutter guards.
14. Climb the ladder again and start placing light clips.
    • If attaching clips to the gutter, slip them between the outer gutter edge and the guard.
    • For adhesive clips, stick them on the bottom of the gutter.
15. How you position the lights varies depending on the clip in use.
    • For gutter clips, you’ll position lights so that they are pointing down or outward at a 45-degree angle. The design of the clip will mostly determine the positioning of lights.
    • For adhesive clips attached to the bottom of gutters, position lights so that they point downward.