32' aluminum extension

[John Dirks Jr]

I pulled it off the shelf at Lowes, caried it up to the checkout and onto my truck. It's 65 lbs so it's not too bad. I have not yet tried to put it up to a high roof by myself. I have a pretty tall chimney on my house so I was going to practice.

Any tips or techniques that might help me? I was thinking of laying it on the ground with the upper end near the house and then walking it up a little at a time. What do you think? Could it help in some situations to extend it first?

[inspector57]

As simple as it seems, read the directions first. There is a right way and many wrong ways to use a ladder. Seems that there was a ladder safety thread here a while back.

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by AHI

I pulled it off the shelf at Lowes, caried it up to the checkout and onto my truck. It's 65 lbs so it's not too bad. I have not yet tried to put it up to a high roof by myself. I have a pretty tall chimney on my house so I was going to practice.

Any tips or techniques that might help me? I was thinking of laying it on the ground with the upper end near the house and then walking it up a little at a time. What do you think? Could it help in some situations to extend it first?

1. Warm up before handling the ladder. Do some quick stretches. Really.

2. When carrying the ladder horizontally, keep the weight centered. Be aware of how far out in front of you and how far out behind you it reaches.

3. When tipping it up, wedge the feet into the corner between the foundation wall and the soil. Walk it up hand-over-hand slowly.

4. When moving the ladder vertically, keep one hand low and another high. Be aware of the things that are above you. Move it vertically as little as necessary.

5. Place the feet on level ground -- even if you have ladder levelers -- sloping ground can allow the feet to slip. If necessary, cut the soil to provide level footing.

6. Clamp the top of the ladder to the edge of the gutter with a vise-grip-style welding clamp.

7. 65 pounds is heavier than it sounds. Press the ladder for 3 sets of 10 repetitions every day for a week or so until you're comfortable with it. Start with the ladder on the ground. Pick it up to waist height, then press it overhead. After three reps of 10 each day for a week, you'll develop some muscle memory and it'll be a lot easier to handle the ladder.

(When I started in this business, I carried a 32-foot wooden ladder. Occasionally, I'd borrow my neighbor's 40-foot wooden ladder. Talk about heavy, woof!)

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[jon_ran]

I commend you for "going the extra mile" to do the best job for your client. I have a ladder about that size, but don't have ladder racks on my truck so I can't haul it. I have been seriously looking at ladder racks and considering the rail mount tool boxes to store all of my inspection tools, but I haven't pulled the trigger yet. Right now , I am using a camper shell. (thread drift)

You need to wedge the bottom into the foundation as Jim said. If you don't, you will have a hard time getting it up. After it is up, grab it as high with one hand and low with the other as you can and still be able to apply your strength through your arms to stabilize. Move it into position before extending it. Keep the entire ladder as close to verticle as you can as you move it, it is very hard to recover if you let it get too far out of verticle. DO NOT put the ladder on any uneven ground. A slight uneveness at the bottom becomes profound at the top and your center of ballance will shift the higher you get. Don't forget to fasten it off at the top, that is a long way to jump when the ladder falls not to mention what it will damage on the way down. Extend the ladder 3-5 rungs higher than the roof line so that you have something to grab and stabilize yourself as you enter/exit the roof.

VERY IMPORTANT!!!!!!!

Call your wife, mom, etc. prior to getting on the roof. Keep your phone with you and call them again when you are down. Make sure that they have the address of the home that you are at. I don't do this at every home but if it has a high roof the danger to you increases dramatically should something go wrong.

[John Dirks Jr]

Originally posted by jhagarty

Originally posted by AHI

I pulled it off the shelf at Lowes, caried it up to the checkout and onto my truck. It's 65 lbs so it's not too bad. I have not yet tried to put it up to a high roof by myself. I have a pretty tall chimney on my house so I was going to practice.

Any tips or techniques that might help me? I was thinking of laying it on the ground with the upper end near the house and then walking it up a little at a time. What do you think? Could it help in some situations to extend it first?

You are kidding, right?

36' foot extension ladders are standard equipment on office vehicles.

Seriously, why would I be kidding? Explain.

[davidlord]

I have two Little Giant ladders. One small one that reaches 99% of every roof I need to get on and the other big one for the other 1%. Typically even the two and three story houses around here can be accessed from a deck. Every now and then I just have to use the binoculars.

The big one is a bear once you get it stretched out.

[Stephen Rogers]

You have received some good advice and procedures for raising the ladder. Safety always first- secure the heel of the ladder and use your legs, instead of your back, when lifting. If you can't get four points of contact, two at top and two at bottom, take the two at the bottom. I know common sense.

After the ladder is extended and lowered to the building make sure you have approx. 75 degree climbing angle. This can be accomplhish by placing your feet at the heel of the laddder, just touching your toes to the heel(beams). Standing straight, extend your arms to 90 degree angle as to grab a rung of the ladder. This will get you close to a 75 degree cimbing angle.

One last thing... always secure yourself when working off the ladder.

Stephen Rogers

S&R Home Inspections

Retired Montgomery, AL. District Fire Chief

[ozofprev]

All excellent advice. The only general concern I would add is, while you are on the ladder, do NOT reach excessively to either side of the ladder. As obvious as that sounds, many experienced workers have made the mistake of thinking, "I can reach that."

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by AHI

Originally posted by jhagarty

Originally posted by AHI

I pulled it off the shelf at Lowes, caried it up to the checkout and onto my truck. It's 65 lbs so it's not too bad. I have not yet tried to put it up to a high roof by myself. I have a pretty tall chimney on my house so I was going to practice.

Any tips or techniques that might help me? I was thinking of laying it on the ground with the upper end near the house and then walking it up a little at a time. What do you think? Could it help in some situations to extend it first?

You are kidding, right?

36' foot extension ladders are standard equipment on office vehicles.

Seriously, why would I be kidding? Explain.

Try doing it the way you propose in your original post and I think you'll see why Joe made his comment. As you try to ratchet it up the wall, you find that you quickly reach a point where you're not tall enough or strong enought to muscle it up like that.

I have no idea what he means about office vehicles.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[mthomas1]

I've got around $600 in various ladder accessories, and my only regret is that I did not spend the money the first year in the business - as my wife frequently reminds me, "Dead inspectors write no reports".

At 60, and 5'8", I find the 32 footer a challenge single handed, but still do use it occasionally.

One thing I would strongly suggest is a good set of adjustable legs, the higher the ladder the more important it is to have it exactly vertical side-to-side when you are going up to tie off. I use these as they adjust easily and snap on and off, it's that much less weight to carry around until you need them:

http://www.globalwholesalersinc.com/quick_connect.htm

http://www.globalwholesalersinc.com/_ladder_leveler.htm

Often when I'm using this ladder it's to access three story flat roof, in which case there is often not much ladder above the roof edge. In such cases I use a pair of these, you can tie off to the gutter and step *through* the ladder rather than going around it:

http://bestmaterials.com/detail.aspx?ID=15566

they are surprising light, and make roof access a *much* less stomach churning experience, especially if you are in a tight situation where you have had to set up more vertically then you would prefer.

[ozofprev]

My ladder has the adjustable legs, but Katen brought up a great point about slipping on a slope. I use the legs to level the ladder if there is a "step" in the grade, but not when the grade is a steady, rather steep slope.

Ya gots ta yous ya brain!

[John Dirks Jr]

Thanks everyone. I'm glad I'm not afraid to ask for advice. It's much better than going out in public on a job and making fool of myself, or worse, breaking my neck.

I can tell just by reading the tips that they will be helpful. I have a new idea now.

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by mthomas1

. . . Often when I'm using this ladder it's to access three story flat roof, in which case there is often not much ladder above the roof edge. In such cases I use a pair of these, you can tie off to the gutter and step *through* the ladder rather than going around it:

http://bestmaterials.com/detail.aspx?ID=15566

they are surprising light, and make roof access a *much* less stomach churning experience, especially if you are in a tight situation where you have had to set up more vertically then you would prefer.

Ooooh. I really like those things. Never seen them before.

Although they remind me of those handicap bars they put up on either side of the toilet for the elderly and infirm.

I suppose that if I were to use the extension handles on the ladder, I'd be less likely to need the extension handles on the toilet . . .

-Jim Katen, Oregon

[Phillip]

I have never seen a 36' foot extension ladders. I have seen 32' and 40'.