The short answer
Govee markets its permanent outdoor lights for self-installation, and on a simple single-storey roofline with an outdoor outlet nearby, many homeowners can put them up themselves. The work gets harder with a second storey, lots of peaks and corners, no outdoor outlet near the roofline, or a model you have to cut and splice.
This guide walks through what installing a Govee kit actually involves, so you can decide whether to do it yourself or have it installed. Already decided? We install Govee and other permanent kits that customers have bought themselves: see our permanent lights page.
Which Govee kit do you have?
Govee's Canadian store currently lists three permanent kits, and they don't install the same way. Check the model before you plan anything.
- Permanent Outdoor Lights 2: sold in 50, 100 and 150 ft lengths. Govee says the strip cannot be cut, and a run with extensions can't go past 150 ft (45 m). Lights are IP67 and the control box is IP65. It mounts with the included VHB adhesive and clips, and the package also includes screws.
- Permanent Outdoor Lights Pro: sold in 100, 150 and 200 ft lengths. It can be cut and reconnected following the user manual, up to 200 ft in total, and Govee says going past 150 ft needs its driver module.
- Permanent Outdoor Lights 2 Pro: Govee's cutting and splicing guide lists it among the cuttable models and recommends professional guidance for it.
The difference matters most at corners and gaps. A strip you can't cut has to be planned so the run starts and ends in sensible places, while a cuttable strip lets you fit each section to your roofline but adds splicing work.
Plan the run before you climb
Most of a clean install happens on the ground. Before you get on a ladder:
- Measure each section of roofline you want to light. Our guide on how to measure your roofline shows how to do it from the ground or on a map.
- Decide where the power will come from, since the control box and adapter have to reach an outlet. That usually decides where the run starts.
- Check your measurements against your kit's limits: 150 ft for the Lights 2, 200 ft for the Pro.
- If you have a cuttable model, follow Govee's guide: unplug the lights first, cut only between two light beads, then screw the connector firmly and refit the silicone plug, as the guide describes. Govee also says not to mix lights from different generations.
- Plug the lights in and test them on the ground before mounting, as Govee's splicing guide recommends. It's much easier to find a bad section before it's on the house.
Power and GFCI protection
Govee's Canadian listing for the Permanent Outdoor Lights 2 carries a shock warning: install only to a covered Class A GFCI receptacle with a weatherproof enclosure. The Electrical Safety Authority also says to use GFCIs for outdoor connections.
If you don't have a suitable outdoor outlet near where the lights start, adding one is electrical work. In Ontario, the ESA says it's illegal to hire an electrician without an ECRA/ESA licence number, and a licensed electrical contractor files the permit with the ESA. For a permanent install, plan for a properly installed outdoor outlet rather than a long extension cord left in place year-round.
Ladder safety
A permanent install means working along the whole roofline, and on a two-storey home that's a long way up. The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety recommends:
- Set the base 1 ft out from the wall for every 4 ft of height.
- Extend the ladder at least 1 m (3 ft) above the point where it rests.
- Keep three points of contact at all times.
- Don't work from the top three rungs.
The ESA adds: check for overhead power lines before using a ladder and stay at least 3 metres away. Our outdoor Christmas light safety guide covers ladders, cords and wet weather in more detail.
Getting a clean, even line
What makes permanent lights look professional is a straight line with even spacing that's hard to see in daylight. The common DIY problems are:
- Lights that drift up and down along the fascia instead of following one straight line.
- Running short at a corner or peak because the run wasn't planned around the kit's fixed lengths.
- Loose cables and extension leads left visible along the roofline or down the wall.
- Mounting on a surface that hasn't been prepared the way the manual describes.
Take your time with the layout, work section by section, and secure the cables as you go. Use the clips that come with the kit rather than staples or nails, which the ESA warns can damage cords.
When to hire a pro
Doing it yourself makes the most sense on a simple, single-storey roofline with an outdoor outlet close by. It's usually worth having it installed if:
- Your home is two storeys or more, or the roofline has several peaks, dormers or levels.
- There's no outdoor outlet near where the lights would start.
- You have a cuttable model and don't want to cut and splice the strip yourself.
- You'd rather not spend a weekend on a ladder in November.
Govee itself says on its Pro listing that if you can't complete the installation on your own, you should consult a professional.
We install Govee kits you've already bought
Already bought a Govee or other permanent kit? Home Guardians will install it for you. Here's what that covers:
- We plan the layout and power location.
- Clean, even mounting along the roofline.
- Wiring hidden and secured.
- Tested in the app before we leave.
Send us your kit model and the area you want lit through our permanent lights page, or call (437) 499-0388, and we'll send back a quote. We install across Vaughan, Maple, Woodbridge, Kleinburg, Thornhill, Richmond Hill, King City, Markham, Aurora and Newmarket.
Haven't bought a kit yet?
You can also have a complete permanent system installed instead of buying a kit. Ours uses colour LEDs plus a true warm white in a slim aluminium track colour-matched to your trim, controlled from the Surplife app. It's $20 per foot of roofline installed, with lower rates on larger homes and a $1,500 minimum, and that includes the lights, track, controller, installation and app setup. You'll need an outdoor outlet near the roofline and 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi that reaches the front of the house.
Our permanent lights cost guide has prices by home size, and permanent vs seasonal Christmas lights helps if you're still deciding whether permanent lights are right for you. If you only want lights for the holidays, see our seasonal Christmas light installation.