When I was 10, I fell out of a tree and broke my arm, and I have not liked heights since. While I would climb ladders, I did it very slowly. If I had to get off a ladder and up onto a roof, it could take me up to an hour to work up the nerve to step back onto the ladder. I was always afraid the ladder would start to slide as I stepped onto it. So, when it came time to buy our first home, why did I let my wife talk me into a two-story house? I figured I would have to learn to work with ladders, and I have. But it took a new job to teach me how to take the fear out of climbing ladders.
I try to avoid ladders if I can, but I have found that if I can tie the ladder to something solid and stable, I find that I no longer hesitate climbing, and getting down is much easier. While you may not need to tie off a step ladder, it still would be a good idea for stepladders over eight feet tall.
Extension ladders should always be tied off, if possible. By installing eye bolts through the soffits and into the rafters every four feet or so, you will always have a place within easy reach to tie your ladder off. If you place the eye bolts behind the gutters, you can make them less noticeable. If the ladder will be in front of a window, you can place a two-by-four across the inside of the window opening (protecting the trim with rags) and tie your ladder to the two-by-four. Other ways to make your extension ladder safe include:
- Using stabilizer legs to help keep the ladder stable. These legs attach to the ladder, close to the ground and help support the ladder on flat, solid surfaces.
- A ladder stay which attaches to the top of the ladder and helps keep the ladder from shifting or sliding along the wall it's leaning on.
