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Taking Christmas lights down in a Waterloo January: ice, wind and the eavestrough

Christmas lights in Waterloo come down in January on days when the eaves are clear, not on a fixed date, because the month averages about 44 cm of snow and almost 21 days that never rise above freezing; clips are slid off by hand from the ladder, strings are tested and labelled by run, and anything frozen in waits for a thaw.

Last updated October 28, 2026 · Reviewed by the Waterloo Christmas Lights team

When should Christmas lights come down in Waterloo?

On the first dry, clear day in January that suits you, rather than on a set date. Environment Canada's 1981 to 2010 climate normals for the Waterloo Wellington station make January the snowiest month of the year, averaging about 44 cm of snow, snow falling on about sixteen days, snow lying on the ground on nearly 27, and almost 21 days when the temperature never climbs above freezing. The mean daily high is -2.6 °C and the low -10.3 °C. A takedown scheduled for a fixed Saturday will often land on an iced eavestrough. A takedown scheduled for the next thaw does not.

If you book takedown with your install, it is already on the calendar as a window, and the visit is confirmed a day or two ahead once the forecast is known.

Why not just pull them down from the ground?

Because the eavestrough is usually what gives way. Clips designed for the gutter lip slide off when pushed along the lip; they do not release when pulled from below. On a cold day a frozen string can pull a section of eavestrough away from the fascia, crack a vinyl gutter, or tear a shingle edge. On older houses in MacGregor-Albert and Uptown, where eavestroughs may be original-style hangers on old fascia, the risk is higher. Takedown is done from the ladder, clip by clip, and any gutter or shingle damage noticed on the way is photographed and passed on to you.

There is also the obvious one: a ladder on frozen ground and an eave above three metres is ladder work that Ontario's construction regulation requires to be done with fall protection. That covers most two-storey eaves in Waterloo.

What does wind do to lights by January?

It loosens them. Waterloo's winter winds prevail from the west and southwest, averaging about 15 km/h through December and January, and the open west side near Laurel Creek in Laurelwood takes them first. After six weeks of that, plus freeze-thaw, a few clips on any roofline will have worked loose and a string may be sagging or wrapped around a downspout. Takedown is when that is noticed and recorded, so the same run is clipped tighter next fall. Clips that have cracked in the cold are thrown out rather than stored, because a brittle clip is the one that lets go in next year's first west wind.

Trees are similar. Wrapped trunks on the larger lots in Beechwood are unwound, not stripped, so bark is not torn, and lights never stay on a tree into spring where growth can start to bury them.

What happens to the lights after they come down?

Tested. Every string is plugged in before it is stored. A run that fails is replaced, not patched.
Inspected. Health Canada advises discarding strings with frayed cords, exposed wire or loose connections, and checking the federal Recalls and Safety Alerts database before using seasonal lights. Takedown is the natural time to do both, rather than in a November rush.
Labelled by run. Front eave, left garage peak, porch, maple. Next fall each goes back where it was, which is faster and looks the same.
Coiled and stored dry. In bins off-site, or in your garage if you prefer.

Can I leave the lights up until a warmer day?

Yes, switched off and with the timer cleared. Plenty of Waterloo houses wait for a February thaw, and there is nothing wrong with that as long as the lights are not left plugged in and running. The Electrical Safety Authority advises turning outdoor lights off when you go to bed or leave home, and lights that have taken six weeks of weather are worth a look before they are switched on again. What should not happen is lights staying up into spring, when UV and repeated freeze-thaw shorten their life and clips start to mark the fascia.

What about rentals, condos and rural properties?

Rentals. In student and rental housing near the universities, lights put up by tenants often stay up after the tenants leave for the holidays or move out. For landlords, booking takedown with the install, or moving to permanent lighting that nobody has to take down, avoids a spring repair to the eavestroughs.

Condos and townhouses. Takedown on common elements is scheduled with the property manager, often on a single day for the whole complex, with parking cleared where a lift is needed.

Elmira, St. Jacobs and the countryside. Long farmhouse eaves and lit windbreaks along the road are exposed to more wind than town lots, so takedown there is planned for a calm day as well as a clear one. See Elmira and St. Jacobs.

Is takedown a reason to go permanent?

For many owners it is the main one. Putting lights up in November is pleasant enough work. Taking them down in a Waterloo January, in the snowiest month and on the coldest days, is the part people stop wanting to do themselves after a few winters. A permanent track under the soffit never comes down; in January it simply changes from red and green back to warm white. On a house in the MacGregor-Albert heritage district, where the City requires a permit for most exterior changes, seasonal lights with booked takedown remain the usual answer.

Takedown and storage are priced in the cost guide. If your lights are up now and you would rather not be the one on the ladder, send the address and a photo and a takedown window is offered.

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