Wondering how to put a ladder on a sloped roof?
In general, it’s not necessarily wise to get up on the slanted roof. However, there are some situations when you may need to set a ladder on a slanted roof.
For instance, if you have a two-story house that has one section which is fairly slanted to get to the second-story exterior above. And you have only option to access it by standing on the first level of the roof.
Cleaning the window or paint your two-story house yourself are some of the situations when you may need to climb up the slanted garage roof.
Have you ever had to face such a situation like this? Looking for ways to support your ladder to prevent the feet from slipping on the slope?
Setting up a ladder on a sloped roof is dangerous and tricky. Maybe you have no idea about how to level the steep incline of the roof safely.
No worry!
In this post, we’ll provide you with some useful guidelines for staying safe while working on a ladder setting up on your slanted roof.
Table of Contents
How to Put a Ladder on a Sloped Roof – Useful Guidelines
Setting up a ladder on a steep roof is not the same thing as setting it up on a firm, level ground.
We’ll talk you through how to set a ladder on a sloped roof to avoid any unnecessary accidents.
Here are the guidelines and tips-
- Ensure the roof construction/ material is strong enough to support the load. You should inspect your roof and the framework beneath to make sure these are strong enough to support the extra load. Keep in mind that when you place a ladder parallel to the roof surface, it’ll distribute the weight and transfer it to the roof framework.
- Check the duty rating sticker to ensure that it’s safe to load the weights. Use at least a type II ladder with real feet and spring-loaded rung locks. A cheaply made ladder with hook rung holders and flimsy feet may be light but will spell disaster.
- Roofs made of slate tiles tend to be slippery that provide less stable footing. So, you should be more careful on footing and putting a ladder on sloped roof made of this material.
- Only go onto a roof that is free of debris and dry.
- You’ll need a ladder suitable for the height you require. Inspect the ladder you want to set up on the roof. Check the ladder to ensure that it’s in good condition such as no loose rungs, no broken feet.
- If it’s an extension ladder ensure all the locks are properly engaged.
- Check the surrounding for electrical wire. Look for overhead power lines before handling the ladder which is important to avoid any electrical hazards.
- We recommend having a second guy for holding the ladder for added protection.
- Avoid to set your ladder on a surface where the side slope is greater than 16-degree or the back slant is higher than 6-degree (unless the manufacturer states otherwise).
- If you need to set up a ladder on an asphalt roof, be careful not to damage the roof. Always make sure to use ladder pads to protect your roof. To protect your asphalt roof, avoid putting the metal sides of a ladder down on the roof surface without protecting the shingles.
- Set up the ladder by following the angle rule or 4:1 rule. Your ladder should be 1-meter out for every 4 meters up, and the ladder legs will create a 75-degree angle with the garage roof or first story roof.
- Ladder rungs should always be horizontal, and for this, you can use appropriate LADDER LEVELLING TOOLS such as pivot tool, roof boot to put a ladder on a slanted roof.
Pivot Ladder Tool
It’s an ultimate extension ladder leveler and a handy tool perfect for many different applications to get the job done around the household, especially on the stairwell or even on slopes and rooftops.
This type of accessory helps to elevate one leg of the ladder up to the same level as the other one. Thus, it helps to create a flat surface to support the ladder to place on it, and your ladder won’t be slanted anymore.
You have to place the pivot tool under the feet of the ladder which is on the lower side of the surface or slope roof. As a result, it’ll create a flat surface to the roof for the ladder to set up.
Roof Boot
It’s one kind of metal tool that works as a stopper for the base of the ladder. It requires to drill into the roof to fix it.
First, place the ridge hook of the ladder on the apex of the roof and determine the point you want to set the roof boot. Then, hammer long nails in the roof boot and attach to the bottom of the ladder.
You can also use this ladder accessory in conjunction with the pivot tool to ensure extra protection from your ladder sliding or damaging your asphalt roof.
**If using this tool is not practical to you, we suggest using a useful ladder stability device recommended by manufacturers.
- Climb up the ladder and tie off both the stiles to any suitable point by using a strap or rope.
- Climb straight up the ladder without leaning side or backwards.
Conclusion
This is all about putting a ladder system on a sloped roof.
So, are you ready to tackle your tasks placing your ladder on slanted garage roof?
One word of cautions!
Working on the roof is not for you if your knee shake when you up onto a table or a six-foot ladder.
If you’re not comfortable working on ladders, never try to set up a ladder on a slanted roof on the second-story exterior above and get the job done.
Stay safe when setting up your ladder and working on your slanted roof!
Thanks for reading our post on how to put a ladder on a sloped roof.