We cannot stress the importance of doing your research in advance of buying permanent Christmas lights enough. The proper homework and due diligence is essential. Not only so that you choose the best company for your needs, but also to avoid buying from a poor quality company.
In the hunt for permanent Christmas lights, nothing is worse than overpaying a bad company. Their installers will botch the job and charge a premium. It may be easy to think, “It won’t happen to me”. But, there are many poor companies out there with slick sales reps and snazzy websites.
On the surface, they may look professional and talk a good game. But, if you make an impulse buy without doing proper research into the company you choose, you could be left footing the bill for many problems.
But, what does a bad installation look like? What are the red flags that will alert you to a potentially lazy contractor and poor installation?
At Lux Lights, we’ve installed over one million linear feet of permanent Christmas lights for happy customers, and we’ve done our fair share of fixes on botched jobs. It’s in that spirit that we want to unveil some of the worst mistakes we’ve seen and teach you how to avoid them.
We will answer these questions and more in today’s article.
Permanent Christmas Lights Install Problem #1: Uneven Roof Peak Lights
One of the most glaring mistakes bad installers make is uneven lights on roof peaks. At night, these crooked, misaligned lights become extremely noticeable, leaving your home looking sloppy rather than festive.
Professional installations should always be measured and precise to ensure a sharp, symmetrical appearance. Uneven roof lights might seem like a minor issue during daylight, but they turn your holiday display into an eyesore once illuminated.
How to Avoid It: Ask your installer about their process for installing lights on roof peaks and inquire whether they use precision tools to ensure even spacing. Look for images on your company’s website of installs that they have done in the past that look similar to the one above. If you see anything like this, this is a red flag to keep in mind.
Permanent Christmas Lights Install Problem #2: Control Panel In The Soffit Or Attic
Another tell-tale sign of a poor installation is when the control panel is mounted in an inaccessible location, such as the soffit. This can lead to dangerous situations, requiring you to climb ladders to reach the panel, even in icy or poor weather conditions.
Control panels are not created to sit horizontally as the vents or slats that allow them to breathe are angled downward so if you put them horizontally, water can easily get in, potentially causing dangerous electrical problems. They also have built-in fans that are constantly exposed to the sun or direct sunlight, and then those fans will eventually burn out, causing your system to fail.
You should also be leery of companies who want to install the controller in the attic as well. The extreme temperature in the hot summer months may negatively affect the controller’s functionality. For some people, particularly the elderly, climbing steep attic ladders and navigating attics in extreme heat may cause notable safety hazards.
The whole point of permanent Christmas lights is to avoid the hassle of climbing ladders every year. A well-installed system places the control panel in an accessible location, like your garage.
How to Avoid It: Before hiring a company, ask specifically where they will install the control panel. If they mention the soffit or attic, consider it a red flag.
Permanent Christmas Lights Install Problem #3: Mismatched Track Colors
One of the biggest benefits of permanent Christmas lights is their seamless integration with your home’s exterior—they’re invisible during the day.
However, when a company uses mismatched track colors, the lights stand out in the worst possible way, making your house look like a patchwork project. Mismatched tracks are not only unappealing but will make your home the subject of neighborhood jokes.
How to Avoid It: Ask to see the picture of the track that the estimator received from you for color matching and be sure that the color is correct.
Above you will see a tool that we use to make sure that our custom American-made channels perfectly match the color of your home.
Permanent Christmas Lights Install Problem #4: Wires Going Across The Roof
Permanent Christmas lights should be sleek and polished, with all wiring hidden neatly inside the track system. Unfortunately, unskilled installers sometimes leave wires exposed across the roof, creating a messy and unprofessional look that ruins the overall aesthetic.
Visible wires are reminiscent of temporary holiday lighting setups, which defeats the purpose of opting for a permanent solution.
How to Avoid It: Inquire how the company plans to hide wires and ask to see examples of their past installations.
Permanent Christmas Lights Install Problem #5: Holes Drilled Into Gutters
Beyond aesthetics, poor installations can cause lasting damage to your home. One of the worst offenses is when installers drill holes into your gutters to attach lights.
This not only compromises the functionality of your gutters but can lead to water damage and leaks. Companies that take this shortcut often charge premium prices, leading to profit for them and problems for you. Leaving you to deal with the aftermath of a damaged drainage system.
How to Avoid It: Ensure the company uses a track system for mounting the lights, not your gutters, and ask how they plan to protect your home from damage during installation.
Permanent Christmas Lights Install Problem #6: Unequal Distribution Of Power
Inadequate electrical work is a hallmark of a bad installation. When lights are wired incorrectly, it often leads to uneven power distribution, where some lights are brighter or dimmer than others. It can often make whites look green.
Worse yet, poor electrical work can be a fire hazard. Permanent Christmas lights require careful attention to ensure that each section of lights receives consistent power to avoid flickering or malfunctioning.
How to Avoid It: Ask the installer about their electrical practices and whether they have factory-trained technicians on their team to prevent dangerous mistakes.
Permanent Christmas Lights Install Problem #7: Downward And Outward Facing Tracks
If an installer lacks the proper machinery to make custom tracks for unique rooflines, they may end up installing the lights incorrectly.
This leads to some lights facing downward on the home, while others point outward toward the street, creating an inconsistent and awkward display. Permanent Christmas lights should create a smooth, uniform glow along the entire roofline.
How to Avoid It: Look for a company that offers custom track fabrication. This ensures that the lights can be installed properly, no matter the shape or design of your roof.
How To Choose The Best Permanent Christmas Lights Company For Your Home
To avoid lights that will project ugly flaws to your neighborhood, you must choose a good permanent Christmas lights company. This will require you to do your homework, your research, and, your due diligence.
But, where do you start? Which permanent Christmas lights company is right for you? How can you avoid selecting a bad company?
If you would like answers to these questions you will want to read this companion article The Top 5 Best Permanent Christmas Lights Companies in Utah. From there, continue to research and ask as many questions as you can until you find an installer that you feel safe and comfortable with, and who has earned your trust.
