12 Tips for Hanging Outdoor Christmas Lights

Whether you want to try and recreate Clark Griswold’s holiday light display or merely want to hang a few strands of lights on your front porch, having a plan in place before you grab the ladder will save you a lot of wasted time and frustration. Here are 12 tips to get you started. Happy decorating!

Ditch your old incandescent lights in favor of LED lights. The upfront cost of LEDs is an investment, but it will save you in the long run. LED bulbs are much more energy efficient than their incandescent predecessors and last much longer.
Test all your light strands (even new ones) before you go to hang them.
Measure the areas you want to decorate to make sure you have enough lights.
After testing your lights, take an inventory of how many lights you have and plan where you will hang them. With this information, you will know if you must buy more lights before you get up on the ladder.
Check the weather forecast and start hanging your outdoor lights in early afternoon. Sure, nice days may be hard to come by in December, but we’re bound to have a few half-way decent days. Planning your project when the weather is bearable will make the task much more enjoyable.
Know where your outdoor outlets are and use extension cords rated for outdoor use.
Automate your holiday light display with a dusk-to-dawn timer. Not only will this save you the hassle of having to turn your lights on and off every day, but it’s also clutch if you’re traveling during the holidays. With a dusk-to-dawn timer, your lights will turn on and off even if you’re in Florida.
Use light clips to hang your lights instead of nails, staples, or tape. This will help to minimize any superficial damage to the exterior of your home.
Group similar types of lights together - for example you could hang white lights on your house and decorate brushes, shrubs, or trees with multi-colored lights. This contrast will create an aesthetically pleasing effect.
Icicle lights look great on gutters and roof lines; net lights are perfect for decorating shrubs or bushes in your yard.
Whatever you decide, start at the top and work your way down to the ground.
Contact us today and we’ll take care of the outdoor decorating so you can focus on shopping, cooking, wrapping or anything else you must do this busy holiday season!

Knock Out Your Holiday Punch List with Ace Handyman Services

We’ve all been there before - putting off a home project for one reason or the other. Whether your procrastination stems from a lack of confidence, not enough been-there-done-that experience, or a packed daily routine, the result is the same. A pang of anxiety hits you every time you enter the room where that light fixture should have been installed or you see that new flat screen TV sitting in your garage still in the box.

With the holidays only a few weeks away, you have two options - keep procrastinating and wait until the new year to tackle your to-do list or knock out your home improvement project so you can enjoy a stress-free holiday season. Let’s be honest with ourselves - January is hard enough as it is. The last thing you need is extra stress and pressure because you decided to wait.

Ace Handyman Services is here to make your holiday punch list a thing of the past so you can start the new year with a clean slate. Whether it's assembling a dining room table, mounting a TV, installing a ceiling fan, or a powder room refresh, our skilled and professional tradesmen will make quick work of your home improvement project so that you can enjoy the holiday season stress-free. Plus, just imagine all the compliments you’ll get from your holiday guests!

Here are just a few examples of the turn-key packages we offer:

� Mount a TV Package

� Kitchen Backsplash Package

� Accent Wall Package

� Organization & Shelving Package

� Take Your Pick 1-2-3 Package (includes a free gift card!)

Take the first step in knocking out your to-do list. Click here to learn more about the in-home service packages we offer.

Ace Handyman Services Pittsburgh North once again hearing the call from our friends at Paws across Pittsburgh

Our friends over at Paws across Pittsburgh asked if we could help and with such a great organization we made sure to rise to the challenge. They had quite the list for us this go around and we were able to really improve their rescue home. We installed some light fixtures throughout the space. We replaced some dim and dated fluorescent bulbs, updated the kitchen with a new faucet and removed some items that were not of use. We had a great time helping such a wonderful group.

Tips to Winterize Your Home from Ace Handyman Services

Make sure to winterize your home before the flakes start flying this winter! Along with seemingly everything else, natural gas will be more expensive this year. Macro factors such as supply chain bottlenecks caused by the pandemic and the production disruption caused by Hurricane Ida in early September will adversely impact the prices end consumers of natural gas will have to pay in coming months. As the cold weather sets in and demand for natural gas rises - about half of Pennsylvania households rely on natural gas to heat their homes - don’t be surprised if your gas bill is higher than usual. Luckily for forward-thinking homeowners, there are several (relatively) easy steps you can take to reduce your heating bill and protect your home (and heat) from the elements. Caulk around windows & use foam protectors on outlets installed on exterior walls to keep cold air from seeping through the cracks. If you are insulating the attic make sure to address your pull-down attic stairs. Attic steps are horrifically leaky and there are some insulation products available that can be placed over the steps to reduce hot are escaping. Check to make sure all external doors - and the door between your living area and attached garage - close properly. While doing this inspection, ensure that the weather stripping around these doors is intact and not damaged. Install a storm door outside your front door. Not only will this inexpensive improvement keep warm air in and enhance curb appeal, it will also protect your front door from the elements. Insulate pipes close to exterior walls to prevent freezing. If you have a utility sink in an unfinished basement with exterior windows/doors, it’s a good idea to insulate these pipes as well. Shut off the water supply to exterior hose bibs; make sure to leave valves open and to drain all water before first hard freeze. Clean your gutters. This is one of the most important and last things you should do before Old Man Winter arrives. Wait until after Thanksgiving when the trees have shed the majority of their leaves to clean all of the debris out of your gutters. Need help getting your house ready for winter? Ace Handyman Services - Pittsburgh North is here to help! We will make easy work of all of the tasks mentioned above and much more. Learn more about our affordable half- and full-day packages and book an appointment today.

Matt Pross October 2021

Let us help you be the Ghostest with the mostest this Halloween season. Halloween Safety Checklist - 6 Tips for Homeowners

It’s that time of year again. The days are getting shorter, the nights are getting colder, and the first frost is on the way. For kids, October is a magical time of year when they get to Trick or Treat dressed up as their favorite ghoul, super hero, or pop culture icon. Many homeowners like to get in on the Halloween fun too by transforming their yard and house into a scene straight out of a horror movie. Whether you're going all out this Halloween or are just sticking to the basics, making sure that your property is safe for Trick or Treaters is essential. Poorly lit walkways, open flames, or loose railings are just a few potential hazards that could turn dangerous once hundreds of kids show up at your doorstep. Taking a few simple precautions beforehand can make all the difference. Here’s what we recommend: Make sure all outdoor lights are working properly; replace any bulbs that are burnt out. Install battery-powered lamps on your walkway to provide extra light for trick-or-treaters. Don't use open flames in your jack-o-lanterns; battery-powered lights provide a great alternative. Ensure all railings are securely anchored and free of splinters. Be on the lookout for rotted wood on your front porch/stairs; replace/fix if necessary. If you're using outdoor extension cords to power lights and/or decorations, ensure that all cords are securely taped down and do not pose tripping hazards

There you have it! Just following these simple steps will help make your property safe for hordes of candy-craving trick-or-treaters. Feel free to contact us if you need help with these or any other project. Our skilled and experienced craftsmen will make short work of your home improvement checklist. Have a safe and fun Halloween!

Matt Pross Oct 2021

Ace Handyman Services Pittsburgh North teams up with Paws across Pittsburgh

We recently had the opportunity to help out a wonderful local organization Paws Across Pittsburgh improve a new location. One of our own Mary G has been a foster for many years and has a close relationship with Paws Across Pittsburgh. We jumped at the chance to help out and were able to knock off a few items of their to do list. We painted, fixed some bathrooms to make more accessible, and upgraded some lights and fixtures. With out a doubt the best part of it all was spending time with the pets and the great crew that helps out. We look forward to the opportunity to go back to such a great partner and help out. Ace Handyman service Pittsburgh North is known for helping clear the to-do list of jobs big and small. For those in and out dogs and adventurous cats in your life we are able to provide pet doors for secure outside access. We can also repair screens, scratches in floors and wall and other items that may occur.

Grand Opening Ace Handyman Services Pittsburgh North!

We are very excited to announce the Grand Opening of Ace Handyman Services Pittsburgh North on January 25th 2021. We are thrilled to serve the Northern Pittsburgh community and you can find our packages and specials on our website.

This week we opened our doors to become your trusted and helpful handyman resource. Avid DIY'ers ourselves, we understand the needs of our homeowners. After spending decades helping friends and family improve their homes and their lives, we are proud to now also provide our services to North Pittsburgh area. We understand that it takes time, skills and the right tools to maintain and improve everyone's most valuable purchase - their home. But finding good, dependable,quality workers... to help complete tasks and projects around the house had always been a real challenge and frustration. We started Ace Handyman Services North Pittsburgh to fill the void and to become your trusted and helpful resource for jobs, big and small, around your home and business. We pride ourselves at being prompt and responsive, professional, clean, and reliable. Our goal is to create long-term customers by delighting them in the services we provide.
We're here to help our community, friends, and neighbors by delivering the best handyman service through licensed, insured, and bonded craftsmen that take pride in their work and delivering value to our customers. And, we're so confident in our work that we back it with a 1-year guarantee on all services we perform.

Ace Handyman Service Pittsburgh North- Bringing Helpful to Your Home

Always Locally Owned & Independently Operated

GET AN ESTIMATE

Get an Estimate

Fill out the form below to request a free estimate. Share a few details about your project, and we’ll follow up shortly with next steps.

By clicking "Get Your Estimate" you agree to receive updates and promotional text messages about the services from Ace Handyman Services at the phone number provided. Your agreement is not a condition of purchase. Message Frequency varies. Msg and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out, and HELP for help. See our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy for more details.

Ace Handyman Services Pittsburgh North News & Events