Mike Paulsen wrote:
Christopher Nelson wrote:
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'?

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.

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...