Extension ladder suggested size

Status
Not open for further replies.
dhalleron

dhalleron

Senior Member
Location
Louisville, KY
Occupation
Master Electrician/Senior Fire Alarm Technician
I won't be buying a larger truck that I asked about in another post for awhile.

I only do this part time right now, but I need an extension ladder. I bought a small 16' extension ladder that got me by on a couple jobs and could stick out the bed of my truck. I bought a 12' step ladder and needed a better way to carry it, so now I have a ladder rack.

I have a rack similar to this on my F150 Extended Cab with the 6' bed. It's the same brand but slightly different model I think. Got it at Lowes for $350.
http://www.tracrac.com/pick-up-trucks/tracone

I wondered if I should get a 32' or 28' ladder. Would the 32' be too big and awkward to carry on this truck. And would the 28' get me by on most resi and light commercial jobs. I can always borrow or rent a larger ladder for some jobs. The racks are 6' apart, so the ladder would hang over the front quite a bit. My 12' stepladder seems to do ok on it.
 
I've found that a 24' is perfect for me. I haven't owned a longer one for 20 years. Until lately when I found a 32' deal I couldn't refuse. It'stays at home unless I need it that day. Why carry all that weight around? You really need to decide what type of work you do the most of.
RAW
 
24' is what I routinely carry. I have a 32' in storage if needed, but it hasn't seen the light of day for at least 3 years.
 
480sparky said:
24' is what I routinely carry. I have a 32' in storage if needed, but it hasn't seen the light of day for at least 3 years.
Click to expand...

I find the 24' works well most of time and that what I carry on the van.


I thought I was just getting old and lazy but if others are doing the same thing I feel better about myself.
 
growler said:
I find the 24' works well most of time and that what I carry on the van.


I thought I was just getting old and lazy but if others are doing the same thing I feel better about myself.
Click to expand...


A 20-foot ladder will legally extend to 16'. You can only climb to the 12th rung, maybe the 13th.

My rule-of-thumb is subtract 2 from the length of the ladder.... that's the highest I can reach with that ladder. So a 20' will get my hands & tools to 18' comfortably and safely.
 
Thanks guys. I'll rethink the taller ladder and maybe get the 24'. It will fit on the truck about as nice as the 12' stepladder. I think even the 28' might be a little oversized and awkward for the truck.

I don't know for sure how high I really need. Mostly for a building a resi service and such. I have this one job with a flood light that my 16' ladder reached from one side, but I need to reach it from the front down some steps that is taller and over the driveway. Maybe a 24' will be fine.

I?ve used mostly 32? ladders in the past and very seldom needed it fully extended. Then there are the jobs where I needed the 40? ladder. Can?t carry it all. Just looking for a size to settle on.
 
I generally carry a 24' extension ladder on my truck. It handles most residential jobs I do but I also have a 28' that I keep under my deck. I have a couple of commercial jobs that require the higher ladder but by comparison to the 24' it's sometimes a bear to handle. I can also notice a difference in the handling of my truck with the 28' on strapped on top.
 
28' is sweet to work from when doing a 2 story service. 28' and 6' is all I need on a resi. service; I have many others at the shop.
 
General rule of thumb is about 10' a story residential is probably closer to 8'. but that's floor to ceiling. The peak of the roof would probably be another 3'-4' above that.
 
Suggesting another poll

Suggesting another poll

I sound like a broken record, but can someone start a poll? I vote for the 24'.

I carry a 24' with the level-locks. If I did resi, I could understand needing a taller ladder.
 
I think a common combination for a lot of companies is a 24' on the truck with a 32' at the shop when needed. I started out on my own a little over a year ago and was in the same situation as you are - I needed to do as much as possible without overextending myself. The truck I got has a shorter roof than a full-size van, and without getting into a $1000 ladder rack, the longest I can carry is a 28' so that's what I got. It has served me well so far. I didn't get the heaviest duty (usually yellow) to cut back on weight. It's probably even lighter than a heavy duty 24' so the extra 2' isn't a bear to deal with. I had one situation when it was too long to used in the closed position (under a deck).

There seem to be only two main companies making ladders - Werner and Louisville. Many other brands are actually made by them as well. The heavy duty (yellow) Werners have the rungs on the inside of the rails and won't whistle as you're driving down the road, but they weigh a ton - too much for my back. The Louisville orange seem more manageable to me but they have the through-rungs that whistle. Oh well. I'll take the noise over the backache ;)
 
A good way to stop the whistling is to fill the rungs with that expanding foam. You only have to fill the ones that you have sitting on your roof directly in front of or overhead of the driver's seat. BTW, don't fill the rungs while the ladder is on your roof (emphasis on expanding) (that from the voice of experience).:cool:
 
I worked perfectly happily for years with a 20-ft. ladder. Occasionally, I might need a longer ladder, but those were rare circumstances.

How tall are you? It's the rare person that can reach more than 7-ft., so handling a ladder whose closed length is more than 14-ft. starts to be a challenge.

Let's look at a few other 'details:'

First, if you're working on those sheet-metal light commercial buildings, the walls tend to top out at about 22-ft, with the roof peak about 25-ft. You'll need a ladder that is long enough to rest against the inside trusses / beams; this is one place where a 28-ft. ladder is useful; a 20-ft. ladder isn't quite long enough.

No matter the ladder, you'll want to have a "V" bracket at the top for stability against poles and corners. It makes a huge difference.

Look to Louisville, and you'll find that a few of their 24, 28, and 32-ft ladders have a little platform/stand-off/V-bracket at the top. A really nice thing to have.

Let's look at some ladder accessories:
A quick-mount standoff bracket really makes the latter much more stabile, and you can easily remove it for transport.

Leg levellers are another 'must have.' Look at the Werner "Code Blue" line.

Ever hear of "Safe-T-Climb?" These are really nifty extensions that make it a lot easier to access rooftops. The let you 'pass through' the ladder, rather than making you step to the side.

Finally, there are some really nice things out there that help you attach the ladder top to roofs and parapets.

While there is a place for the "Little Giant," and other specialty ladders, there's no escaping that you will eventually have quite a ladder collection.
 
I got more info than I asked for and it's all good.

My little 16' ladder whistles and I never thought about trying to fix it. Now I have an idea how.

I'm 6' 1" or so and can handle a 32' ladder ok when it is closed.

I may get an orange Werner. And I have noticed all the accessories for ladders lately. I just need a basic ladder, but will pick up accessories as needed.

I?ve looked at my F150 enough lately with the 12? step ladder on top and have decided I don?t want a longer ladder up there. I?ll get a 24? extension ladder for now and later if I need it I?ll get a taller one to keep at home and bring out for special occasions.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top