Roofing Ladders - For Rooftop Work And Maintenance

Every couple of years general roofing repairs need to be done on all houses and so the home handy-man or woman, heads out check out the various roofing ladders that are available to do the work. For some reason, roofing repairs seem to be performed at the same time of year, usually in the fall or autumn – for those that prefer the British word. Whether repairing means cleaning out dead leaves from the guttering or repainting the corrugated iron roof, a decent life-depending ladder is what is needed. In order to choose a good quality sturdy ladder from the various roofing ladders available, it is important to explain to one of the store’s staff what kind of roof work you’re intending to perform, so that he or she can recommend a suitable ladder. Be careful and don’t let the sales representative bamboozle you with different statistics and measures. All you want is a good, strong, dependable roofing ladder, not a lecture.

The Werner 16ft fiberglass roofing ladder is an excellent purchase. Retailing at around $200.00, this fiberglass ladder will get you on top of your house roof and back down again without moving or slipping. Fiberglass is, apparently, much sturdier than aluminum because it is a heavier material thus safe. The ladder has slip resistant runs and is ideal for working around electricity. There are many other roofing ladders sold and most are designed to keep you safe as you work on the roof of your house. It is important to remember that the longer the roofing ladder the safer it will be. Ideally when the ladder is extended it should go well pass the eaves of the roof. This makes climbing on and off easier and also gives you something to hold onto while you pull leaves out of the gutter with your other hand. Rubber-covered bearers and rubber feet are also advised as the rubber feet will stop the ladder slipping and the rubber bearers will stop you slipping.

Never use a stepladder to climb onto the roof of your house. People that do this are just asking for a ride to the hospital or worse – the morgue. A stepladder should only be used for low level climbing, like changing a light bulb or hanging picture, nothing too high.

Roofing ladders are useful in other situations also. One can use a ladder to prune a tree, a tall tree especially. These ladders are ideal for painting a large house wall where scaffolding can’t be erected. As you can see roofing ladders have an array of different uses and purchasing your own one will not be a wasted investment.