I have two fairly short stories in a split level house. The highest gutters are approximately 15' above ground level. I know the 4:1 rule for putting up an extension ladder but I'm not sure how much of a 20' extension ladder is lost to the overlap. Is a 20' ladder enough to reach eaves or do I need a 22'?
A 20' will extend to 17'
You can figure 3 feet of overlap between sections for the lengths you're considering, so a 24' ladder will be 21'. If you want to get on the roof, you'll want a ladder that reaches a couple of feet higher than the roof line.
Your choices may be limited to 20' or 24' -- I don't recall seeing any
22' extension ladders in stores.Should work. Worst case scenario, the ladder goes to the house, and you have to lean back a bit.
The old fire department trick is to stand at the base of the ladder. Extend your arms straight out front. Your hands should barely go to the ladder. That's about the right angle.
And be aware- a 24' will make you feel puny carrying it and placing it by yourself. I have a 24' 1a fiberglas, and it is heavy. And for a heavy-duty ladder, it is still pretty bouncy at close to full extension. Don't even think about aluminum that long, unless you are under 150 pounds, with tools. A buddy at work, skinny guy, bought an aluminum
20-foot, a name brand, and returned it after one use because he found it too bouncy to work from.I wish a had a 20', since this 24' is really more than I need for this one story house. But at the time, the 24' was 60-some bucks cheaper at Sam's, than the 20' was at Lowes or Menards...
-- aem sends...
Put stabilizers on it- and you can go to about the 10' height and your body will make up the difference.
I bought one of these a few years ago because I needed the standoff for a project. Now I love it -
And while you're at it- if your ground is uneven, these make ladder setup a breeze-
Nonsense. Aluminum is fine. What you don't want is a cheap aluminum ladder. The heavier ones (Type 1A?) are plenty strong and stiff. My 32' Aluminum ladder is getting kind of heavy for me to put up by myself these days, but it's plenty secure when extended.
I have a light weight 20' ladder (Type III?) which is great for quick jobs when not fully extended, but way floppy when near its limit.
What you need is a Little Giant. I have one and it is fantastic. Although it is somewhat heavy, it has wheels to move it around which make it easier. Most people turn pale at the price, but if you are doing a lot of DIY home repair is is a very good investment. Being lazy and a bit clumsy, I also have 3' x 6' rolling scaffolding and a
24' aluminum ladder, plus 6' and 8' Type III fiberglass. Bottom line, the more good ladders and scaffolding you have the easier the job.Joe
I find my 24' one bounces a lot - but at the same time it feels strong; I don't feel like it's about to snap in two or anything (and of course when fully extended it's only significantly flexible in the middle - so it's only an issue when going up or down, not when working at the top).
The pain in the butt isn't the weight, or carrying it, but getting it from a horizontal to vertical position; I never have quite figured out what the 'trick' is there (it likes to lift off the ground as I'm hauling it upright, and the last thing I want is a ladder on top of my head :-)
cheers
Jules
Keep the feet of the ladder right up against the wall until it's vertical, then move the feet out.
You could also lay a tube of sand or other weight over the lowest rung.
Do like the fire department. Put the foot of the ladder touching the building. Walk under the ladder, going "hand over hand" towards the building, with hands above your head. Pull the bottom out from the wall after the ladder is vertical.
If the paint fumes didn't get the guy then the inevasible oops will.
Do not try this at home folks!
This is why they make scaffolds.
One reason you might not want an aluminum ladder is if there is any possibility that wires will be involved. This includes portable power tools or whacking the ladder into the power companied feeder lines.
D'oh! Yes, that makes perfect sense - thanks :-)
J.
Y'welcome. Really, I deserve very little credit. I just repeated how I was taught. Be careful to avoid power wires, as others have cautioned.
The power lines to my house are well insulated, then wrapped around the supporting ground wire.
I think I'll take a couple ladders and ladder jacks and a plank for that job.
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