It seems that every household has an older rickety ladder kicking about. It also seems that when people are younger they can bound up a worn ladder with no fears of collapse. Put a few years under one's belt and watch how reluctant they become to climb on an older tired ladder. Extendable ladders from Globe Ladders are a good investment and with their sturdy construction, they are the ladder of choice for professionals and every day DIY enthusiasts.
It seems foolish but many people once they get a bit older and lose half a step in balance and agility stop climbing ladders. They invariably find a young person to do the chore of climbing a ladder and doing simples task such as changing light bulbs and dusting areas out of reach. Comically, it never occurs to people that they may not be the problem. Maybe the ladder itself has seen better days and it is that ladder that has the shaky legs.
How to Inspect Older Ladders
Ladders can be divided into two basic types, step and extension. These two styles differ greatly in construction and should be inspected for use worthiness differently.
Older step ladders are usual constructed of timber. (Clear pine or poplar) As their name would suggest these ladders use steps placed between flat side rails. These steps are connected using common joinery. They can be dove tailed, biscuited or doweled. In any case, check these joints from the side to see if they have loosened over time. If they are not too loose they can be stiffened with products designed to swell wooden furniture joints. If there is considerable play in the joints, replace the ladder.
Wooden extension ladders use hardwood cylinders set as rungs between the side frames. These act as giant dowels passing completely through the side legs of the ladder. Extension ladder rungs rarely become loose, but they are prone to splitting and breaking due to age. If the rungs on your extension ladder are splintering, toss it away and replace it with a lightweight durable aluminum extension ladder.
New Ladders Use New Materials
While timber step and extension ladders are still being manufactured, ladders made from better materials such as aluminum and glass fibre are currently favoured for reasons of durability and safety respectively. Aluminum is extraordinarily resistant to corrosion. It can be left out in the rain, it doesn’t warp and when paint is spilled upon it aluminum can be cleaned with strong solvents. Glass fibre is often used for extension ladders as it is non conductive.
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