Collaborative Post¦ When it comes to roofing, it is important to have the best ladder for the job. Roofing is one of the jobs where you need plenty of height from your equipment and it is the ladder that should provide it. This article will consider just what a roofer should expect from their ladder in terms of portability, durability, and safety. We shall begin with the Telescoping Ladder and then look at other things that we should expect from a workable and safe ladder.
We should consider design, the materials our ladder is made from, and that it is graded for commercial use rather than home use.
Telescoping Ladder
The advantages of a telescoping ladder are many. It is portable yet can extend to the heights required for roofing. You can purchase differing heights ranging from about 8 feet to 15 feet. The ladders, despite their height, can be lightweight to carry around, allowing one man to work solo. Because the ladders are telescopic, they can easily be transported in a vehicle. The ladder can avoid the need for having to transport the ladder on the top of a vehicle. Instead, it can be carried inside the vehicle. This makes it easier when you arrive at a job and is more secure than leaving a ladder attached to a vehicle at times when nobody is watching it. These ladders, despite being telescopic, are extremely sturdy, and for additional safety, have non-slip ends. They are a roofer’s dream accessory. If an accessory is the right word because they are an important part of doing the job. A part of every roofer’s toolkit.
Materials Used in Ladder Manufacture
With ladders, you have a choice of wood, aluminium, steel, or fibreglass. You should consider the environment of your worksite when choosing your material. For resilience, you would choose steel, yet aluminium is more lightweight. It is still durable as well. Many professionals will opt for fibreglass because it is a lighter material compared to wood or steel, although not as light as aluminium and it is more expensive. Ahead of all these, the design of the ladder might come into play. For example, if you are looking for a telescoping ladder for convenience, you will select your ladder on that basis. They will come in aluminium alloys that mean they are both lightweight and durable.
Class of Ladder
Another factor to consider when choosing the best ladder for the job is the class of ladder. They are graded from light use to heavy-duty or commercial use. If you are a roofer by trade, you will want a ladder that is going to last and be an investment. If you are replacing your ladder regularly it will represent a business expense that in effect is taking profit away from each job. So, it is important to go for the best grade and the best quality. The telescopic ladders are well made and that will help with longevity. The higher the grading the more it is for commercial use rather than the domestic situation. This measurement will guide a roofer.
So, three considerations to help you choose the best ladder for the job. You can go for a telescopic ladder for portability, considering its material to make sure that it is lightweight and durable, and making sure that the ladder is manufactured for a tradesperson and not for home use. The only thing to make sure of now is that you place your ladder on a flat surface at all times and have it firmly and sensibly positioned. Safety is a reason other than height for using a ladder in the first place, so you not only want your ladder to be safe by design but to always use it safely, too.
Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.