Roof ladder - what's the ideal length? And is two piece a no-no?

[Oxbow16]

Hi 

 

I need to get a roof ladder and I've not had one before so just wanted to check...  

 

1. What's the ideal length?  Is it best if the ladder stops just short of the last tile / before the gutter.  Is having the ladder extend belong the gutter a bad thing (obviously not to use!  ...just it being there)?  

 

2. I've read in places that a roof ladder should always be a single piece ladder and never an extendable.  But then I've seen extendable versions available and in use.  And in my case I have different parts of the house with different length roofs, so an extendable would be handy in as much as it could be adjusted and used for all of them.  But is it a no-no?  

 

Many thanks

[Simplysimon]

depends if your roof is all the same size, i bought mine from screwy. on one roof it just touches the gutter and is easy to get on/off, the other bit of the roof is longer and the ladder stops short making it more difficult getting on/off

[Temp]

I've used an extendible. D8dnt like the way the top section didnt rest on the tiles so I ended up putting a block of wood under it up near the roof hook so that end was supported. Hate working on roofs.

 

Edit : I see some come with an aluminium stand off for the top end..

 

Edited June 19, 2022 by Temp

[joe90]

I use an ordinary extendable ladder but have to use a u bolt holding the two sections together to stop the lower section sliding away (it’s not made for this type of use) with bolt on hook/wheels at the top. Does fir me 🤷‍♂️

[Oxbow16]

On 19/06/2022 at 22:41, Simplysimon said:

depends if your roof is all the same size, i bought mine from screwy. on one roof it just touches the gutter and is easy to get on/off, the other bit of the roof is longer and the ladder stops short making it more difficult getting on/off

 

How much would you say the ladder stops short by on your longer roof?  The ladder I'm looking at would be short by about 30cm on my longest roof and I'm not sure how much of a problem that may or may not be when it comes to stepping on and off.  

 

Might also mean I would have to be more creative when it comes tying it to the extendable....  

 

Cheers

[JamesP]

I bought a single Lyte roof ladder 4.5m to fit 300sqm of Tata Urban Seam roof.

 Very good quality and easy to move around. 

 

[Simplysimon]

5 hours ago, Oxbow16 said:

 

How much would you say the ladder stops short by on your longer roof?  The ladder I'm looking at would be short by about 30cm on my longest roof and I'm not sure how much of a problem that may or may not be when it comes to stepping on and off.  

 

Might also mean I would have to be more creative when it comes tying it to the extendable....  

 

Cheers

about the same, i bought as above in 5m from screwfix.