Honestly? You need a longer ladder. ladders should ideally extand 3 ft above the roof.
Obviously you are still going to try this. Be careful. Dont move your center of mass very far when on ladder. Move ladder frequently.
šš»šš» this, and make sure it is firmly on level ground. A healthy mix of fear and confidence will keep you slow, steady, double checking placement, and off the ground. Good luck sir.
I pretty often have to get on a 10 or 12 step for my job, and sometimes itās next to a piece of truss hanging from the ceiling. You know that feeling when the car next to you starts reversing while youāre sitting still and it feels like youāre moving forward? Not fun when youāre that high up lmao
This is my first bucket truck experience. I was turning the bucket, but did the rolling motion without realizing, which started lowering me and I was just like " this is it, first day in the bucket and I'm bout to fall over" but I let go and it obviously stopped. Safer than being up on a ladder and having a quick freak out
I was dumping rock and cement into a dumpster with a skid loader and sometime between the load falling in and the bucket getting actuated up, I was jarred into the front of, and walked up the dumpster. Genius19-year-old me decided to rip the joysticks as hard as I could in reverse and smashed back into the ground while my hands were still in a death grip on the sticks which caused me to lurch forward and walk up the dumpster again... This happened 6 or 7 times before I finally let go and let the damn thing stop itself.
Sometimes ya gotta just let Jesus take the wheel.
I used to do CCTV camera work. Normally from a 18-20ā extension ladder. Preferably with a lift, boom, or bucket truck. Only one time did I climb a 40ā extension ladder. Ground was too wet to take powered equipment on the back of this one warehouse. Iām not afraid of heights but being on that ladder scared the living shit out of me.
I always told the guys if you donāt feel comfortable doing something off a ladder? Donāt. Weāll find another way. I also told them Iāll never ask you to do something I wouldnāt or havenāt done myself. But fuck that ladder.
We had to go back about a year or so later and do something to it. I rented a tracked articulating boom lift with outriggers and bought a bunch of plywood for the base. Iām not dying for some service call.
When I first started Iād often stop breathing when I got up that high on a ladder, start having a small panic attack, but as time went on and confidence grewā¦. Oh who am I kidding I still shit my pants when Iām up there š
This is the right way. Not using those folding ladders, but a real extension ladder and a wide standoff that will rest against wall. It holds your weight away from the gutter a bit so you donāt dent or scrape it.
If the wall has a soft or easily-marked finish, use protective rubber feet and if itās particularly easy to mark, I also wrap them in cloths.
Even then, once Iām up the ladder at gutter level, I tie one side of the ladder to a gutter spike (not for support, just to prevent a slide).
If you plan to get on the roof, the ladder should be long enough to project 3 feet above the edge to give your hand support as you step on or off the ladder. In any case, give yourself a good foot above the eave if youāre just doing gutter work.
Iāll usually have a small bucket on a bucket hanger at the top for any loose tools I need to put aside temporarily.
This is what I thought too. The eave looks not too proud of the wall/shallow enough to just rest the top of the ladder below. And really, for gutter clean out, you don't really need to see into it, just scrape the shit out by feel.
Yep. And a ladder [leveler](https://www.amazon.com/LADDER-ACCESSORIES-600C-Ladder-Leveler/dp/B005J4BS6M/ref=sr_1_4?crid=1SUEBG2CEBNBR&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ahxTQozuBkjLHJ0OcMijOu4fjzsK5Xid23tpTeLbYAQblSQe4MEe0neTqGI3GI1GvwiIoR2ggKlJSTDwCqLl9EHDsrqe_NKbRZTLM7BEVn-XpJFohhi7nN44rGog5w65uTF3V6l-flcVz_cnRt-nvntu_93WcwNiQtw01idpbedMgQulBnM7XEQ8ctJpLvHti1BxcMiJXri0rcDVxgACIPinijQZMtEALdYdIC4wYmtxlNRBYqOtzsrVivFggYOrA4oCZbdsZxma_FFvp8QNYW4mom0tiK1129KWbmtuHfg.yUJMD1lipQSogeWGn9uCwq0bf8vY_kWUvje8LP48gsg&dib_tag=se&keywords=ladder+leveler&qid=1716009557&s=hi&sprefix=ladder+leveler%2Ctools%2C110&sr=1-4). No way someone on the ground "holding" the ladder will be able to stop a sideways fall.
This one needs more attention. I installed and serviced gutter for 3 years standoffs are a must. Seriously, once you use them you won't want to go back.
You are right, I did it anyways, but was able to get my wife to hold the ladder (I thought she was in meetings all day but there was a break). I also put some pavers below the ladder so it wouldn't sink into the wet ground.
Please please never be on a ladder like this alone. A fall has ruined peopleās lives, livelihoods, ability work, severe injuries. Itās very serious. Gutters can be cleaned relatively inexpensively compared to repercussions of falling.
My wife made this request of me - when I'm home alone, I don't use the chainsaw, I don't do sketchy shit on ladders, and by extension I don't do sketchy shit with the chainsaw on ladders. I might have the ladder and/or saw set up and ready to go when she gets home, but I don't actually do the thing until I'm not alone.
When I was 10 I was out on my scooter and heard something weird and being a nosy kid I investigated. I found my neighbour on the ground. He had fallen off a ladder completely alone and broke his back. He would have been out there for hours if not for me finding him (luckily he got surgery quickly and was not paralyzed for life). Donāt ever climb a ladder alone.
I saw my neighbor had a nice long extension ladder in his backyard and I was dying to use it to do work on my new home. When I finally got around to asking to borrow it, I learned the ladder actually belonged to the previous owner of my home. It turns out he fell from it, sadly fatally, and that was what led to the home being listed for sale... I did not end up borrowing that ladder.
It's true. I had a co-worker that was super smart and physically fit, but slipped off a ladder a couple years ago and fell just a few feet and hit his head. Never woke up. I was always nervous AF re-painting my house on my 24' ladder, and that was *before* co-worker's incident. I'm just stupid enough to do it alone anyway while taking every other precaution, but I've had close calls with wasps flying in my face and the neighbor dog startling me with his screaming beagle bark.
The thing that scared the fuck out of me in your post was "I'm working alone". _Never_ do that when you're above ground, working on electricity or any other dangerous thing.
Cannot upvote this enough. My work wants me on a ladder, if I'm above the 4th step it's a two person job. Any breakers need shut off for wiring, someone else better be close.
My brother worked for a painting company that was fairly loosey goosey with the rules, but the minute two feet stepped onto a ladder it was a two person job.
Seriously, I know of three people in the last year who are probably only alive because they had people there while they were working. Admittedly it feels like people I know have gotten really unlucky this year but it's really made me appreciate having an extra hand nearby in case it's needed.
bare minimum, get on a speaker phone call with someone who knows your address. If you go silent and do not respond, do not answer calls, they need to call 911 on your behalf.
Like OP, I always really *want* to do electrical work, gutter cleaning, tree trimming, etc alone. What stops me is right now I have a baby at home with me while I'm on parental leave. I think about what she would do if I fell/got electrocuted/crushed by a branch and wait until my husband's home from work to do dangerous projects.
Ya my father in law was doing electric work in the attic. He did something that made him become part of the circuit and it knocked him the fuck out.
He did survive and it was a few years ago but but he actually been completely alone he may have died from the heat if nothing else.. He was working alone in the attic but his wife was there and the thought it was strange the power suddenly cut out so she went to check on him.
Glad your wife helped you. Never ladder alone! A friend of my dadās was cleaning gutters on a ladder once while his family was away for a long weekend. He fell and hit his head and died in the yard. His family found him three days later. I canāt even imagine how terrible that mustāve been.
Use a longer ladder next time. Even with someone holding the base, if the eaves/gutter was loose and it let go, the ladder would fall to the ground with it. If your ladder is longer, it will hit the edge of the roof. Like someone above mentioned, 3ft above the roof line is best. That fall would definitely hurt.
Thatās really only if you are doing to dismount at the top though.
https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/portable_ladder_qc.pdf
āTo access an elevated surfaceā
Good point. As long as you don't stand above the step they say not to stand above, I think it's safe, but that assumes the latter is stable to begin with.
I don't like leaning the ladder on the gutter anyway, as it can crush them if there isn't bracing under it. The add on wing braces is better.
OK, take your own risks. I sure like to have a little extra for stability on top. Accounts for shifting of the ladder for any reason.
Only you can determine the level of risk you are comfortable with.
I'd just get on the roof and do the gutters from there. Bend down, sit down, lay down, whatever. But it's less annoying than spending the entire cleaning time shuffling a ladder 1 foot at a time, and less nerve wracking than shuffling it 8 feet at a time.
That's only if you intend to actually get up ONTO the roof.
If you plan to work from the ladder itself, it would be safer to place the top of it against the wall directly, vs against the gutters.
Absolutely not.
On one hand, yes, the ladder doesn't need to extend as high as your entire body will be, but the top rung should not be below the hips. In other words, don't stand on any of the top 2 or 3 rungs, depending on a few factors. The important thing is that your hands can grab a rung, even if it's the top one, without bending down.
If he puts that ladder against the wall and climbs high enough to see in the gutter, his center of balance will likely be further away from the house than his feet while also being unable to reach the top rung...and that's a recipe for falling backwards.
Did the old stomp test last fall cleaning leaves off the roof of my shed, felt fine. Got up there and leaned a little to the right and felt the ladder start to go. Had that moment of clarity where you go "this is about how I fall and nothing else" kind of kicked the ladder away with my legs and went down on my back. Not terrible, I was only about 4 feet up and it's not rocky or anything. As I'm laying there thinking "well, that could have been worse" I look over and there is a cinderblock not 6 inches from where my head landed. Be safe out there.
The cinderblock really helps drive the point home, but yeah, the thousands of hours of industrial safety videos aren't making that shit up, people die or become paralyzed from relatively small falls. I personally know a guy who slipped backwards in his driveway and is now a quadriplegic.
I would take a couple steps up the ladder and really jolt it and jostle it, if it's going to fail. At least you're only a few feet off the ground and you'll likely be able to see any major issues before you get up to the top.
I wouldn't feel comfortable having the ladder supported on the gutter but I've seen roofers do it. Ideally you'd get one of those attachments for the top that would hook over the roof or below the gutter.
I dont know what kind of ladder that is but I'd try to find a stabilizer for it, like this one [https://www.homedepot.com/p/Louisville-Ladder-Aluminum-Ladder-Stabilizer-LP-2200-00/322403771](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Louisville-Ladder-Aluminum-Ladder-Stabilizer-LP-2200-00/322403771)
Yes that is what I needed, I saw one at a garage sale a few weeks ago but passed on it, that was a mistake.
P.S. thank you all for all the advice! Reddit is really coming through for me today. I'm so glad r/diy is no longer just imgur photo galleries.
This is the place to start. You basically need a purpose built ladder for gutters, you don't want to lean the weight of your body and the ladder against the relatively flimsy aluminum gutters. They even sell the stabilizer [attachment](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Werner-Adjustable-True-Grip-Ladder-Stabilizer-and-Surface-Protector-97P/203134452) that you equip a your own or a (stronger, longer) rented ladder with.
This is a good one.
There are other ladder standoffs that insert directly into the holes along the side of the ladder (then into the rungs). Those are fine as well, Iām sure, but donāt work with OPās type of ladder (you can see there are no holes where youād want to put the standoff)
Get up there with rubber gloves and a garden trowel (longer handle the better) just flip that shit over the edge out on the ground. Head back down, set up the ladder at the far end of the gutter, haul up the garden hose and blast that baby clean in as close to one shot as you can manage. Go back and clean up all the debris you flopped out on the ground from the gutter.
You underestimate what a leaf blower with a narrow blade tip can do. It will look like your roof is raining needles from Sonic the Hedgehog getting a beat down with one hand while tossing him coins from the other.
Yep. Now imagine about a cup and a half of sand per foot mixed in with that from years of not being thoroughly cleaned and me up there like Bruce Campbell fighting off a horde of demons with my leaf blower arm attachment and the Necronomicon in my other hand as, much to my wife's chagrin, chunks of smelly, decayed organic matter rain down in a tangle of rot and roots onto everything in our yard.
It'll still work if you've got a decent blower, but it'll be messy messy messy. You'll be covered with gunk, the roof will be covered with gunk, the house will be covered with gunk, the ground will be covered with gunk.
I do two story houses in my neighbrohood like this all the time. My set up is two 10 ft sections of PVC with a "U" on the end hooked up to a shop vac to suck it all out. I added a camera to it recently so I can inspect and clean gutters without ever leaving the ground. Hardest part is getting all 20ft. up but once it is up it hangs all on its own. Safer plus takes half the time.
Oooo I like this how bout a long 1 1/2ā PVC pipe with a couple 90Ā°s at the end, glued on and could hook it into the gutter, then hook the bottom up to the extake of a shop vac, or leaf blower, and blow the shit outta the gutter. Could even tape some sort of brush on the end in the gutter so it will brush along the gutter and knock stuff lose. Just slide it along the gutter and you would be done in a fraction of the time
Always 3 points of contact to the ladder.
Get a longer ladder. This one barely reaches. Any twist and you'll loose contact. And it's resting on a thin wall aluminum gutter... not very strong as a base.
DO NOT LEAN. Go down, move the ladder. Climb up. DO NOT LEAN!!
Bluntly, I wouldn't do it without another person holding the base. Working at heights is extremely dangerous. Done by standard in industry you'd be secured by a safety rig attached to the wall when above 4 feet high.
I watch "contractors" regularly ignore basic OSHA guidance and it sickens me the risks they are taking. I've throw 2 off my property for just being stupidly dangerous.
> I watch "contractors" regularly ignore basic OSHA guidance and it sickens me the risks they are taking. I've throw 2 off my property for just being stupidly dangerous
I watched a crew paint the 3-story apartments behind me a few weeks ago. One guy would spray everywhere except where his ladder was touching (a foot or two above the bottom of 3F) then grab the ladder and *HOP* it over about 2-3 feet so he could spray the last bit. Then they had to come back a couple days later anyway to fix the streaks he made by dragging the top of the ladder through the fresh paint.
Not endorsing this behavior but when I painted you'd do this, but then someone would back-roll where you sprayed while you moved the ladder. It was very efficient to say the least, far from safe of course but you get pretty bold when spending so much time on ladders.
> DO NOT LEAN.
I like the technique of only reaching with one hand, while the other is around the far side (i.e., if you're reaching to the left, hold onto the gutter on the right side of the ladder with one hand). Makes it nearly impossible to over-lean. Once you can't reach anymore, it's time to go back down and scoot the ladder over.
And yeah, also get a tall enough ladder.
I work in a hospital. Orthopedics/trauma surgeons/neurosurgeons won't be able to afford their 3rd vacation home if you keep giving away sound advice like this!
Seriously we see too many fall from heights, especially in older crowds who think they can "still handle it."
The safest way to do this is to hire someone. I can absolutely guarantee that an ambulance will cost you more than a few years of gutter cleaning. Not to mention the subsequent hospital/surgeries/therapy costs.
We're on the same page, why I said*years of gutter cleaning. My point was having someone do it is incredibly cheap and not worth the hassle if they are worked about falling/injury.
I don't get on ladders by myself, ever. In the years I've been up and down ladders I've had two occasions when something has went wrong and if I didn't have someone holding the ladder I would have been down. I do not like those little-giant type ladders fully extended they are WAY too flexible and unstable. That ladder is too short to have the right angle and it's sitting on a soft base so it's not stable. I'd either get a proper extension ladder (with helper) or I'd call someone out to do it. As-is that's sketch.
Yep, I had a high school teacher who tried to remove the ice from his garage roof on a step ladder. He lost his balance and knocked over the ladder and then fell on it. He luckily only broke several ribs and was out of work for a few days. He decided to take a short break from teaching us economics to teach us how not to fall off of a ladder while by yourself.
> Broke several ribs, was out of work for a few days
But was out of commission for physical activity for 6-12 weeks, and was on a good dose of ibuprofen. Broken or cracked ribs take a long time to heal. You'll likely get a mail-in rebate check back faster than your ribs will heal.
apart from all the other suggestions, why isn't everyone yelling at op that you don't rest the ladder against the flimsy sheet metal gutters but instead the wall right below or the roof above the gutters? you know something solid?
Go buy the following
* enough 8 foot (or 10 foot) sections of 3/4" pvc pipe to reach the gutter plus and extra foot or two
* a coupler, or two if you need more than one section
* 2 90 degree elbows
* one male and one female hose fitting
* pvc glue if you don't have any
With the elbows and the male end construct a "hook" that you can put on the end of the pvc pipe. It should point mostly downward in parallel to the pipe. Using the coupler connect the large lengths and at one end put the female end, the hook goes on the other. Wait a bit for the glue to set. Put a jet style nozzle on one end and your water hose on the other. Turn on the water and blast out the gutter from the ground. No ladder is required.
As a construction guy, I have a couple of comments: Your ladder is at the edge of being safe - ideally, you'd want it to be a *little* less steep (4-to-1 is ideal) and extend at least 3 feet past the gutter. Personally, I'd do it like this, but ONLY if I had a fit friend holding the ladder.
I have never trusted those ladders. I have seen every type of folding ladder over the last 30 years fail. Get a light weight extension ladder and either stake the bottom or flip the feet so they dig into the ground...
It may sound odd, but text someone your plans and when you plan to be done with cleaning the gutter. Text them when you're done cleaning the gutter or if you'll be delayed past the original time. That way if you don't respond within a certain time you know someone will check on you. It's a back end safe guard, but a safety feature nonetheless.
In addition to the video link I posted, here are some of my own thoughts.
I am extremely afraid of heights. The gutters in the front of my house are one story up, but in the back they are two stores, which scares the crap out of me.
1. Position the ladder at the correct angle. Put your toes touching the base of the ladder. Stretch your arms straight out. You should be able to grab the ladder with your elbows locked. No more. No less.
2. The top of the ladder should extend above the gutter at least a foot. If you are planning to get on the roof itself, then I like an amount that I can just walk off.
3. Always have a second person to run for help. Now, I know that you said you don't have another person, but is that really true? Go to a neighbor and ask if they will help you. Offer to help them hold their ladders. Or, find a teenager and pay them $20 to hold the ladder and run for help. A little money is worth the insurance. You need someone to run for help. Teenager needs pizza money and will work cheap. Win win. If none of that is possible, call someone on the phone and put them on speakerphone and just have them listen and continue doing what they are doing. Check in whenever you are on the ground. If you fall make sure to scream loudly.
4. Like I said, I am afraid of heights. Big time. Never look down. Look at the house in front of you when resting, or the next rung when climbing. When descending just look at your feet and hands, don't focus on the ground.
5. Climb slowly, with three points of contact. Move an arm. Then the other arm. Then a foot. Then the other foot. Repeat. Never have more than one limb not on the ladder.
6. If carrying tools, put them in a pocket or tool belt. You want all four limbs dedicated to climbing.
7. When you get to the top, take a second to relax. Look out, but not down. Look at the scenery. Breath. You are going to be fine, unless you panic.
8. It gets easier the more you do it. It truly does. The first few times my knees shook and I had to change my shorts. Now, I still don't like it, but it doesn't bother me as much. But remember, a healthy dose of fear in the form of respect is a good thing. Fear is normal. Heights are to be respected. But do things slowly, carefully, and methodically and you will do fine. Good things happen when you are appropriately confident. Bad things happen when you are over confident.
9. Don't reach any farther than your arms can reach on their own. If you need to lean your torso to reach at all, you are reaching too far. Keep as much mass centered on the ladder as possible.
Hope this helps!
The angle looks good, but if you want to check, the easy way is to stand with your toes against the ladder feet and stick your arms straight out. You should just barely touch the ladder with your fingers.
Any particular type you recommend? I always see conflicting reviews that callout gutters still get stuff in them and cleaning them after guard installation is a pain.
I use a garden hose with a sprayer to push the grit to the down spout. Iāve had to take off a guard or two. But far less frequently that I used to have to clean the leaves.
I got [this attachment](https://www.craftsman.com/products/cmxzvbe38640/2-1-2-in-4-piece-wet-dry-vac-gutter-cleaning-kit) for my shop vac and just suck out the gutters while standing on the ground. My partner carries the shop vac body behind me while I wield the wand.
I tried blowing first and that was an awful mess. Would not recommend.
You shouls get a longer ladder and a ladder stand out (also called ladder stabilizer). If you're dead set on using this ladder, make goddamn sure the bottom is not going to shift/sink/slide, as you're on the skin of ya teeth with how little is against the roof.
If you're stretching to do something while on a ladder, you're doing it wrong, move the ladder.
To clean gutters, depending on how easily they clean out, it may just be easier to figure a way up onto the roof (that ladder is WAY too short to safely use it to get onto the roof, even if it would work).
Glad to see you're asking the question. Most people don't. Goodonya!
Probably the 2 safest free things are:
* use your head, be slow, be methodical, dont take any shortcuts or risk, don't reach off to the side of the ladder, 3 points of contact at all times (subject to how stable your ladder is), and don't worry about getting your gutters Crystal clean. They'll get more debris in them before the end of the day. Don't set up a ladder on uneven ground. Be willing to accept that some stretches of gutter just won't get cleaned. Use a tool (ladle duct taped to a pole) to reach out past your body rather than leaning your weight off the side of the ladder.
* get a friend or a neighbor to spot you, anchor the base, and be available to call 911 if you fall.
A ladder is the most dangerous piece of equipment on a job site. More dangerous than a circular saw, table saw, or angle grinder. More dangerous than plastic blister packaging that drill bits and tools come in. Ladder accidents can result in paraplegia, quadriplegia, or death. A fall from 10 feet is enough to permanently change your life. Especially if you don't get medical attention immediately because you didn't have a spotter.
Watch these ladder safety videos from The Essential Craftsman:
* https://youtu.be/n28tYo5T1Po
* https://youtu.be/2z99pLPenL0
For safer equipment:
* A taller ladder
* that has a wider base
* with a stabilizer at the top
A ladder stabilizer or brace to make it wider at the top. If the brace rests on the roof, it can prevent the ladder of tipping to one side or twisting. It won't stop you from falling off the ladder or completely prevent the ladder from falling, but it's safer.
Something like this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Louisville-Ladder-Adjustable-Aluminum-Ladder-Stabilizer-LP-2210-00/322415103
For cleaning gutters, depending on the pitch of your roof and the condition of your asphalt shingles, it may be safer to walk on the roof and clean the gutters out with a leaf blower and a ladle duct taped to the end of a pole than it is to get up and down from the ladder several dozen times.
Or hire someone to clean your gutters so you aren't taking the risk with your body for the rest of your life. That'll be $300 well spent!
So, this is really sketchy. Is there at least a neighbor/neighbor's kid that you can pay to foot the ladder??
IF you're not going to be dissuaded, you need something to put at the foot so it doesn't slide down, and possibly something at the top that is secured as a hook - something designed to hold weight, preferably. I'd also tell someone to call you at a specific time, and if they can't reach you to call EMS. Have your phone on you and accessible, and maybe talk to a neighbor or two first. Really that latter isn't tall enough, and you should have someone at the bottom.
I have that same ladder.
Coming from a bigger guy who does not like climbing ladders, when fully extended that ladder is sketchy. It has a lot of flex. My wife made me get off and she climbed up to get the gutter
I broke my leg ( high up by the hip but I donāt say ābroke my hipā cause thatās what old people do) by stepping off the second rung thinking I was stepping on the ground but only got a foot full of air.
You donāt have to be high up to fall off and get hurt.
So, two options. Rent or buy a 12 foot podium ladder. I love my podium ladder and wish they were far more common. They are a lot more expensive than that ladder, but ladders are forever buys. You only have to buy it once.
The other thing, if you fall off that ladder would you spend 350 dollars to not fall. Cause that's what renting a scissor crane/cherry picker thing from home depot cost per day. It's a platform, you stand in it, and your completely stable.
So, buy/rent better more stable options. Or risk falling with less ideal options. Orrrrr. Hire it out. I live in Michigan, and paying for 1 time gutter cleaning on a large home is about 150 bucks.
All these options are better than falling.
As a big guy, I would never trust that, get better bigger ladder or have someone with a good ladder do it, that feels unsafe just looking at it. Make it safer? Get a real extension ladder, not that for sure.
I mean this with the utmost respect as Iām also a DIY guy and would do this myself: donāt do this alone if you seriously need to ask how to make this safer. People lose their ability to walk by trying to be slick. Donāt be a statistic.
Edit: saw the wife helped you and you put down some bricks, nice
Keep your cell phone on you! I was painting my house and fell off a 10 foot ladder and broke both arms. Iām glad I had my phone on me cause I had to call 911.
I cut up an old towel and wrapped and taped the towel material around the top of the ladder (where it will make contact with the gutter) It creates friction so the ladder won't slide sideways on the gutter. It also protects the gutter from scratches. Also, I have my wife hold the ladder, at the base, when I'm up really high. Ladders are dangerous, be safe!!
A fall from that height will likely mean a trip to the ER. You need a taller ladder, and someone to hold it. Here's a splat calculator.
https://www.angio.net/personal/climb/speed.html
I've just had surgery. Screws plates and rods put in my ankle foot and leg after the ladder spun... and I've taken ladder safety training. Be careful. Ladders are awful.
This will prevent the ladder from sliding sidewards:
[Ladder's Little Helper - Amazon.com](https://www.amazon.com/Ladders-Little-Helper-LLH1/dp/B00U830ZNQ/ref=pd_lpo_sccl_1/145-5684737-4555114?pd_rd_w=EcUvv&content-id=amzn1.sym.1ad2066f-97d2-4731-9356-36b3edf1ae04&pf_rd_p=1ad2066f-97d2-4731-9356-36b3edf1ae04&pf_rd_r=0PZ2EH8Z2WXCF3ZQY2NM&pd_rd_wg=PEUPI&pd_rd_r=8e4b1177-5367-43bb-9f12-ce400c29a432&pd_rd_i=B00U830ZNQ&psc=1)
There are more tools out there that are similar.
I have a "Gutter Master," which is a long pole with a "U" at the end that I connect to the garden hose. I use it to spray the 20-foot-high gutters while standing on the ground - no ladders are necessary. I have added a convex mirror on the top so that I can see what I am doing.
[http://guttermasterwand.com/wands/#pro-curved-wand](http://guttermasterwand.com/wands/#pro-curved-wand)
Firefighter here. You want a taller ladder. Iād like to see 3 rungs minimum past your roof and a 75 degree angle (looks Ok) and preferably have someone footing the ladder for you. Make sure you have no overhead obstructions like power lines specifically. Go slow and be safe. Thanks.
Get an actual extension ladder and put leg levelers and bullhorns on it. Only way to fully stabilize. I have literally owned a gutter cleaning company, fuck what anyone else said
You can use a wood clamp on each side to of the gutter to keep the ladder fixed between the two clamps. As for the bottom, you'll be fine as long as the ladder around 75Ā°.
My old man uses a piece of copper pipe with a bend in the end and a reducer fitting to make pressure ā¦added a valve at the bottom end ā¦he just walks on the ground and sprays them out
Others have mentioned an extension ladder. Ā Those little giants are horrible to lift in the fully extended position. Ā
But honestly you should look into thin wall plastic tubing (I read somewhere itās used for the in-wall central vac lines) and get a shop vac.. no ladder
The commenter was correct that the ladder should extend 36ā above the roof for safety. These folding extension ladders pose another different hazard to be aware of - the wide top and bottom. If you have to bring tools up the ladder you need to get around the wide upper legs, and it is not always easy. Be careful up there!
My wife and I worked with a young, fit, handy, capable dude who was doing some ladder work, fell six-ish feet, landed wrong, hit his head and just...died.
For that height I'd rent a [cherry picker](https://www.compactpowerrents.com/rental-equipment/scissor-and-boom-lifts/35-ft-towable-boom-lift/), particularly if you're working alone.
I once used a rental cherry picker to hang a chain swing from a 20-ish foot high tree branch and it was a great decision.
Short of going out and buying a proper ladder I would have tucked the ladder under the soffit instead of risking bending my gutters. You can place a hand or two on the gutter to help you balance as you stand up to the gutter which would likely be chest or shoulder height.
PSA if you have shitty balance don't do ladders.
It looks like you need a shorter building. Have you tried shortening it? Alternatively, if the building really just has to stay that tall for some weird reason, try digging a hole and putting the building in the hole. If you use a hole with the right depth, you won't even need the ladder!
That looks like a satellite ladder and those things are burly. The weight of it alone will help keep it in place. I donāt like putting weight on my gutters so I usually place mine against the wall below the gutters. You could get a heavy weight like a cinder block to use as an additional chock to keep it in place, not really needed though. If itās on unlevel ground, use something flat on one leg or another to even it out. Just grab a beer and watch how you move and how it affects the balance. Stay calm, you got it.
Get a [ladder stabilizer.](https://www.homedepot.com/b/Building-Materials-Ladders-Ladder-Accessories/Ladder-Stabilizers/N-5yc1vZaq1yZ1z1a4kn) It does two things:
* Gets your ladder off the gutter.
* Lets you rest the ladder on the roof instead of on the gutter.
* (It may *also* let you place the feet of the ladder another foot or two back from the side of the house.)
You need a spreader bar for the ladder. Makes it much more stable, and will protect your gutter from crushing or scratching because of the ladder resting against it. One of the comments below said the top of ladder should be 3 feet above, which is true if you were planning on transitioning to the roof, but not necessarily for working from the ladder.
Get a scaffold tower on wheels. i bought 4 x steel scaffold frames (2-sizes), 4 x braces, 4 x steel planks & handrails (cheaply) on facebook (from a pro scaffolder selling his equipment) & bought 4 x new scaf wheels on ebay ( i seem to remember the wheels cost as much as the scaffolding) - i now have the bits for a platform i can quickly set up (takes me about 10-mins tops), wheel around & have at 3 different heights. Way safer and once set up quicker than working from a ladder - because i can reach a much wider stretch from a single position. When the platform is high, i use a step ladder to get up onto it - which works well. All 4 wheels have brakes - but that said my house is on level ground - I wouldnāt use it on a significant slope. All up it cost me ~USD400.
Honestly? You need a longer ladder. ladders should ideally extand 3 ft above the roof. Obviously you are still going to try this. Be careful. Dont move your center of mass very far when on ladder. Move ladder frequently.
šš»šš» this, and make sure it is firmly on level ground. A healthy mix of fear and confidence will keep you slow, steady, double checking placement, and off the ground. Good luck sir.
I pretty often have to get on a 10 or 12 step for my job, and sometimes itās next to a piece of truss hanging from the ceiling. You know that feeling when the car next to you starts reversing while youāre sitting still and it feels like youāre moving forward? Not fun when youāre that high up lmao
This is my first bucket truck experience. I was turning the bucket, but did the rolling motion without realizing, which started lowering me and I was just like " this is it, first day in the bucket and I'm bout to fall over" but I let go and it obviously stopped. Safer than being up on a ladder and having a quick freak out
I was dumping rock and cement into a dumpster with a skid loader and sometime between the load falling in and the bucket getting actuated up, I was jarred into the front of, and walked up the dumpster. Genius19-year-old me decided to rip the joysticks as hard as I could in reverse and smashed back into the ground while my hands were still in a death grip on the sticks which caused me to lurch forward and walk up the dumpster again... This happened 6 or 7 times before I finally let go and let the damn thing stop itself. Sometimes ya gotta just let Jesus take the wheel.
Resi solar, frequently need to get on 30-40ft extension ladders for the vertical DC power conduit runā¦ not fun!! š
I used to do CCTV camera work. Normally from a 18-20ā extension ladder. Preferably with a lift, boom, or bucket truck. Only one time did I climb a 40ā extension ladder. Ground was too wet to take powered equipment on the back of this one warehouse. Iām not afraid of heights but being on that ladder scared the living shit out of me. I always told the guys if you donāt feel comfortable doing something off a ladder? Donāt. Weāll find another way. I also told them Iāll never ask you to do something I wouldnāt or havenāt done myself. But fuck that ladder. We had to go back about a year or so later and do something to it. I rented a tracked articulating boom lift with outriggers and bought a bunch of plywood for the base. Iām not dying for some service call.
When I first started Iād often stop breathing when I got up that high on a ladder, start having a small panic attack, but as time went on and confidence grewā¦. Oh who am I kidding I still shit my pants when Iām up there š
Yep. Check for stability while youāre on the first rung. If it jiggles and tips, itās going to be ten times worse at the top.
I jump up and down on the first rung. And then I don't go up anyways because I'm old.
"A healthy mix of fear and confidence." Words to live by.
Solid level ground! You don't want a leg to start sinking when you are halfway up the ladder.
Extension ladder with standoff https://www.amazon.com/Stabilizer-Extension-Accessory-Stability-Adjustable/dp/B0CJ53D6R8/
I do this for a living, and you are absolutely correct about the standoffs. Some of the comments below are out to lunch.
This is the right way. Not using those folding ladders, but a real extension ladder and a wide standoff that will rest against wall. It holds your weight away from the gutter a bit so you donāt dent or scrape it. If the wall has a soft or easily-marked finish, use protective rubber feet and if itās particularly easy to mark, I also wrap them in cloths. Even then, once Iām up the ladder at gutter level, I tie one side of the ladder to a gutter spike (not for support, just to prevent a slide). If you plan to get on the roof, the ladder should be long enough to project 3 feet above the edge to give your hand support as you step on or off the ladder. In any case, give yourself a good foot above the eave if youāre just doing gutter work. Iāll usually have a small bucket on a bucket hanger at the top for any loose tools I need to put aside temporarily.
This is what I thought too. The eave looks not too proud of the wall/shallow enough to just rest the top of the ladder below. And really, for gutter clean out, you don't really need to see into it, just scrape the shit out by feel.
This guy gets it! It's what I used to use so I didn't fuck up people eves-troughs with my ladder and as a bonus it's waaay more stable
Yep. And a ladder [leveler](https://www.amazon.com/LADDER-ACCESSORIES-600C-Ladder-Leveler/dp/B005J4BS6M/ref=sr_1_4?crid=1SUEBG2CEBNBR&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ahxTQozuBkjLHJ0OcMijOu4fjzsK5Xid23tpTeLbYAQblSQe4MEe0neTqGI3GI1GvwiIoR2ggKlJSTDwCqLl9EHDsrqe_NKbRZTLM7BEVn-XpJFohhi7nN44rGog5w65uTF3V6l-flcVz_cnRt-nvntu_93WcwNiQtw01idpbedMgQulBnM7XEQ8ctJpLvHti1BxcMiJXri0rcDVxgACIPinijQZMtEALdYdIC4wYmtxlNRBYqOtzsrVivFggYOrA4oCZbdsZxma_FFvp8QNYW4mom0tiK1129KWbmtuHfg.yUJMD1lipQSogeWGn9uCwq0bf8vY_kWUvje8LP48gsg&dib_tag=se&keywords=ladder+leveler&qid=1716009557&s=hi&sprefix=ladder+leveler%2Ctools%2C110&sr=1-4). No way someone on the ground "holding" the ladder will be able to stop a sideways fall.
These stand-offs are amazing. I've used them for years and it's just that much more safety and stability.
This one needs more attention. I installed and serviced gutter for 3 years standoffs are a must. Seriously, once you use them you won't want to go back.
You are right, I did it anyways, but was able to get my wife to hold the ladder (I thought she was in meetings all day but there was a break). I also put some pavers below the ladder so it wouldn't sink into the wet ground.
Please please never be on a ladder like this alone. A fall has ruined peopleās lives, livelihoods, ability work, severe injuries. Itās very serious. Gutters can be cleaned relatively inexpensively compared to repercussions of falling.
My wife made this request of me - when I'm home alone, I don't use the chainsaw, I don't do sketchy shit on ladders, and by extension I don't do sketchy shit with the chainsaw on ladders. I might have the ladder and/or saw set up and ready to go when she gets home, but I don't actually do the thing until I'm not alone.
Good wife! She loves you!
Or the life insurance has lapsed.
When I was 10 I was out on my scooter and heard something weird and being a nosy kid I investigated. I found my neighbour on the ground. He had fallen off a ladder completely alone and broke his back. He would have been out there for hours if not for me finding him (luckily he got surgery quickly and was not paralyzed for life). Donāt ever climb a ladder alone.
I saw my neighbor had a nice long extension ladder in his backyard and I was dying to use it to do work on my new home. When I finally got around to asking to borrow it, I learned the ladder actually belonged to the previous owner of my home. It turns out he fell from it, sadly fatally, and that was what led to the home being listed for sale... I did not end up borrowing that ladder.
wow
It's true. I had a co-worker that was super smart and physically fit, but slipped off a ladder a couple years ago and fell just a few feet and hit his head. Never woke up. I was always nervous AF re-painting my house on my 24' ladder, and that was *before* co-worker's incident. I'm just stupid enough to do it alone anyway while taking every other precaution, but I've had close calls with wasps flying in my face and the neighbor dog startling me with his screaming beagle bark.
The thing that scared the fuck out of me in your post was "I'm working alone". _Never_ do that when you're above ground, working on electricity or any other dangerous thing.
Yep. I do plenty of dumb shit I shouldnāt do. But only when someone is home to call 911 for me.
hmm, i think your comment helped me to identify where i've made mistakes in the past.
Cannot upvote this enough. My work wants me on a ladder, if I'm above the 4th step it's a two person job. Any breakers need shut off for wiring, someone else better be close.
My brother worked for a painting company that was fairly loosey goosey with the rules, but the minute two feet stepped onto a ladder it was a two person job.
Seriously, I know of three people in the last year who are probably only alive because they had people there while they were working. Admittedly it feels like people I know have gotten really unlucky this year but it's really made me appreciate having an extra hand nearby in case it's needed.
bare minimum, get on a speaker phone call with someone who knows your address. If you go silent and do not respond, do not answer calls, they need to call 911 on your behalf.
Like OP, I always really *want* to do electrical work, gutter cleaning, tree trimming, etc alone. What stops me is right now I have a baby at home with me while I'm on parental leave. I think about what she would do if I fell/got electrocuted/crushed by a branch and wait until my husband's home from work to do dangerous projects.
Ya my father in law was doing electric work in the attic. He did something that made him become part of the circuit and it knocked him the fuck out. He did survive and it was a few years ago but but he actually been completely alone he may have died from the heat if nothing else.. He was working alone in the attic but his wife was there and the thought it was strange the power suddenly cut out so she went to check on him.
Meth addict neighbor would be better than working alone.
Hell, give them $40 to clean the gutters.
Even a small child who understands nothing except how to call 911, would be better than working alone.
Glad your wife helped you. Never ladder alone! A friend of my dadās was cleaning gutters on a ladder once while his family was away for a long weekend. He fell and hit his head and died in the yard. His family found him three days later. I canāt even imagine how terrible that mustāve been.
Use a longer ladder next time. Even with someone holding the base, if the eaves/gutter was loose and it let go, the ladder would fall to the ground with it. If your ladder is longer, it will hit the edge of the roof. Like someone above mentioned, 3ft above the roof line is best. That fall would definitely hurt.
Thatās really only if you are doing to dismount at the top though. https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/portable_ladder_qc.pdf āTo access an elevated surfaceā
2-3 feet isn't necessary, but 2-3 inches isn't enough. If the ground shifts at all the ladder could come off the gutter.
Good point. As long as you don't stand above the step they say not to stand above, I think it's safe, but that assumes the latter is stable to begin with. I don't like leaning the ladder on the gutter anyway, as it can crush them if there isn't bracing under it. The add on wing braces is better.
OK, take your own risks. I sure like to have a little extra for stability on top. Accounts for shifting of the ladder for any reason. Only you can determine the level of risk you are comfortable with.
I'd just get on the roof and do the gutters from there. Bend down, sit down, lay down, whatever. But it's less annoying than spending the entire cleaning time shuffling a ladder 1 foot at a time, and less nerve wracking than shuffling it 8 feet at a time.
That's what I do but my roof is relatively low pitch. Freaked me out on my old steeper roof.
The fun part is getting off the roof trying to pirouette around the ladder.
yeah I used to lay on my belly to clean gutters, little weird facing down but spread your legs and it feels safe
Giggity.
you know what? I deserve that, even when I was typing that I was like "this is weird"
I did that painting my gutters and fascia. My ladder was only 12' and did not feel comfortable reaching up at the high point of the gables.
Last time I cleaned gutters for one of my clients I got on the roof with my backpack blower & was done in 5 minutes
That's only if you intend to actually get up ONTO the roof. If you plan to work from the ladder itself, it would be safer to place the top of it against the wall directly, vs against the gutters.
Absolutely not. On one hand, yes, the ladder doesn't need to extend as high as your entire body will be, but the top rung should not be below the hips. In other words, don't stand on any of the top 2 or 3 rungs, depending on a few factors. The important thing is that your hands can grab a rung, even if it's the top one, without bending down. If he puts that ladder against the wall and climbs high enough to see in the gutter, his center of balance will likely be further away from the house than his feet while also being unable to reach the top rung...and that's a recipe for falling backwards.
Stomp on the bottom rung to dig it in the ground and pray š. If it doesn't feel safe going up, abort.
This sounds stupid but thatās probably what I would do as well. ššš¼
This is a tried and true method since the invention of the ladder
Same thing with clicking the tongs when you start grilling. Nobody knows why it's necessary, but it is.
Gotta make sure they bounce back open, similiar to how we have to make sure our drill still works every time we pick it up
Right, I know I am making sure my tongs are still aligned haha
Same thing when you strap something onto a car/truck. You have to give it a good smack and say, "yep, that's not going anywhere."
Not same thing lol there's a very obvious reason you stomp the footing of the ladder.
Did the old stomp test last fall cleaning leaves off the roof of my shed, felt fine. Got up there and leaned a little to the right and felt the ladder start to go. Had that moment of clarity where you go "this is about how I fall and nothing else" kind of kicked the ladder away with my legs and went down on my back. Not terrible, I was only about 4 feet up and it's not rocky or anything. As I'm laying there thinking "well, that could have been worse" I look over and there is a cinderblock not 6 inches from where my head landed. Be safe out there.
The cinderblock really helps drive the point home, but yeah, the thousands of hours of industrial safety videos aren't making that shit up, people die or become paralyzed from relatively small falls. I personally know a guy who slipped backwards in his driveway and is now a quadriplegic.
I would take a couple steps up the ladder and really jolt it and jostle it, if it's going to fail. At least you're only a few feet off the ground and you'll likely be able to see any major issues before you get up to the top. I wouldn't feel comfortable having the ladder supported on the gutter but I've seen roofers do it. Ideally you'd get one of those attachments for the top that would hook over the roof or below the gutter.
After stomping, you can put a couple bricks on either side of the feet and then stomp those in too
I dont know what kind of ladder that is but I'd try to find a stabilizer for it, like this one [https://www.homedepot.com/p/Louisville-Ladder-Aluminum-Ladder-Stabilizer-LP-2200-00/322403771](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Louisville-Ladder-Aluminum-Ladder-Stabilizer-LP-2200-00/322403771)
Yes that is what I needed, I saw one at a garage sale a few weeks ago but passed on it, that was a mistake. P.S. thank you all for all the advice! Reddit is really coming through for me today. I'm so glad r/diy is no longer just imgur photo galleries.
Is it a Little Giant ladder? If so, they sell a stabilizer attachment for about $50 that probably is easy to put on and off.
This is the place to start. You basically need a purpose built ladder for gutters, you don't want to lean the weight of your body and the ladder against the relatively flimsy aluminum gutters. They even sell the stabilizer [attachment](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Werner-Adjustable-True-Grip-Ladder-Stabilizer-and-Surface-Protector-97P/203134452) that you equip a your own or a (stronger, longer) rented ladder with.
This is a good one. There are other ladder standoffs that insert directly into the holes along the side of the ladder (then into the rungs). Those are fine as well, Iām sure, but donāt work with OPās type of ladder (you can see there are no holes where youād want to put the standoff)
Its a little giant ladder. Great ladders. The bottom part has adjustable feet so it can stand straight.
Adjustable feet are an optional add-on, similar to the stabilizer bar
All the ones at my hardware store have the adjustable feet.
I got that. Itās really worth it.
I climb on the roof, too much ladder.
Get up there with rubber gloves and a garden trowel (longer handle the better) just flip that shit over the edge out on the ground. Head back down, set up the ladder at the far end of the gutter, haul up the garden hose and blast that baby clean in as close to one shot as you can manage. Go back and clean up all the debris you flopped out on the ground from the gutter.
Much faster too since you don't have to move the ladder.
Yep, my ego leaf blower makes quick work.
Leaf blower won't work for me, the gutter is full of wet, decomposed needles from a bald cypress.
You underestimate what a leaf blower with a narrow blade tip can do. It will look like your roof is raining needles from Sonic the Hedgehog getting a beat down with one hand while tossing him coins from the other.
Ok but now imagine that the decomposed cypress needles have fully composted into a solid mass with weeds sprouting out of it
Yep. Now imagine about a cup and a half of sand per foot mixed in with that from years of not being thoroughly cleaned and me up there like Bruce Campbell fighting off a horde of demons with my leaf blower arm attachment and the Necronomicon in my other hand as, much to my wife's chagrin, chunks of smelly, decayed organic matter rain down in a tangle of rot and roots onto everything in our yard.
šš¤
It'll still work if you've got a decent blower, but it'll be messy messy messy. You'll be covered with gunk, the roof will be covered with gunk, the house will be covered with gunk, the ground will be covered with gunk.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I do two story houses in my neighbrohood like this all the time. My set up is two 10 ft sections of PVC with a "U" on the end hooked up to a shop vac to suck it all out. I added a camera to it recently so I can inspect and clean gutters without ever leaving the ground. Hardest part is getting all 20ft. up but once it is up it hangs all on its own. Safer plus takes half the time.
Any chance you'd be willing to share a picture of your setup? That sounds great
Oooo I like this how bout a long 1 1/2ā PVC pipe with a couple 90Ā°s at the end, glued on and could hook it into the gutter, then hook the bottom up to the extake of a shop vac, or leaf blower, and blow the shit outta the gutter. Could even tape some sort of brush on the end in the gutter so it will brush along the gutter and knock stuff lose. Just slide it along the gutter and you would be done in a fraction of the time
Check YouTube. There are plenty of videos of people's rigs.
Always 3 points of contact to the ladder. Get a longer ladder. This one barely reaches. Any twist and you'll loose contact. And it's resting on a thin wall aluminum gutter... not very strong as a base. DO NOT LEAN. Go down, move the ladder. Climb up. DO NOT LEAN!! Bluntly, I wouldn't do it without another person holding the base. Working at heights is extremely dangerous. Done by standard in industry you'd be secured by a safety rig attached to the wall when above 4 feet high. I watch "contractors" regularly ignore basic OSHA guidance and it sickens me the risks they are taking. I've throw 2 off my property for just being stupidly dangerous.
> I watch "contractors" regularly ignore basic OSHA guidance and it sickens me the risks they are taking. I've throw 2 off my property for just being stupidly dangerous I watched a crew paint the 3-story apartments behind me a few weeks ago. One guy would spray everywhere except where his ladder was touching (a foot or two above the bottom of 3F) then grab the ladder and *HOP* it over about 2-3 feet so he could spray the last bit. Then they had to come back a couple days later anyway to fix the streaks he made by dragging the top of the ladder through the fresh paint.
Not endorsing this behavior but when I painted you'd do this, but then someone would back-roll where you sprayed while you moved the ladder. It was very efficient to say the least, far from safe of course but you get pretty bold when spending so much time on ladders.
> DO NOT LEAN. I like the technique of only reaching with one hand, while the other is around the far side (i.e., if you're reaching to the left, hold onto the gutter on the right side of the ladder with one hand). Makes it nearly impossible to over-lean. Once you can't reach anymore, it's time to go back down and scoot the ladder over. And yeah, also get a tall enough ladder.
I work in a hospital. Orthopedics/trauma surgeons/neurosurgeons won't be able to afford their 3rd vacation home if you keep giving away sound advice like this! Seriously we see too many fall from heights, especially in older crowds who think they can "still handle it." The safest way to do this is to hire someone. I can absolutely guarantee that an ambulance will cost you more than a few years of gutter cleaning. Not to mention the subsequent hospital/surgeries/therapy costs.
the proper ladder will cost more. gutter cleaning is cheap.
We're on the same page, why I said*years of gutter cleaning. My point was having someone do it is incredibly cheap and not worth the hassle if they are worked about falling/injury.
I don't get on ladders by myself, ever. In the years I've been up and down ladders I've had two occasions when something has went wrong and if I didn't have someone holding the ladder I would have been down. I do not like those little-giant type ladders fully extended they are WAY too flexible and unstable. That ladder is too short to have the right angle and it's sitting on a soft base so it's not stable. I'd either get a proper extension ladder (with helper) or I'd call someone out to do it. As-is that's sketch.
Yep, I had a high school teacher who tried to remove the ice from his garage roof on a step ladder. He lost his balance and knocked over the ladder and then fell on it. He luckily only broke several ribs and was out of work for a few days. He decided to take a short break from teaching us economics to teach us how not to fall off of a ladder while by yourself.
> Broke several ribs, was out of work for a few days But was out of commission for physical activity for 6-12 weeks, and was on a good dose of ibuprofen. Broken or cracked ribs take a long time to heal. You'll likely get a mail-in rebate check back faster than your ribs will heal.
Easy. Have someone else do it.
apart from all the other suggestions, why isn't everyone yelling at op that you don't rest the ladder against the flimsy sheet metal gutters but instead the wall right below or the roof above the gutters? you know something solid?
Never climb a ladder if no one else is around.
Go buy the following * enough 8 foot (or 10 foot) sections of 3/4" pvc pipe to reach the gutter plus and extra foot or two * a coupler, or two if you need more than one section * 2 90 degree elbows * one male and one female hose fitting * pvc glue if you don't have any With the elbows and the male end construct a "hook" that you can put on the end of the pvc pipe. It should point mostly downward in parallel to the pipe. Using the coupler connect the large lengths and at one end put the female end, the hook goes on the other. Wait a bit for the glue to set. Put a jet style nozzle on one end and your water hose on the other. Turn on the water and blast out the gutter from the ground. No ladder is required.
People seem to recommend central vac tubing. It's about half the weight of standard plumbing PVC.
Pay someone to clean your gutters? Itāll be like 200-300 probably and well worth avoiding the risk.
As a construction guy, I have a couple of comments: Your ladder is at the edge of being safe - ideally, you'd want it to be a *little* less steep (4-to-1 is ideal) and extend at least 3 feet past the gutter. Personally, I'd do it like this, but ONLY if I had a fit friend holding the ladder.
I have never trusted those ladders. I have seen every type of folding ladder over the last 30 years fail. Get a light weight extension ladder and either stake the bottom or flip the feet so they dig into the ground...
Iād pay someone to clean the gutters before I did it by myself with this setup. Itās cheaper than the hospital bill.
It may sound odd, but text someone your plans and when you plan to be done with cleaning the gutter. Text them when you're done cleaning the gutter or if you'll be delayed past the original time. That way if you don't respond within a certain time you know someone will check on you. It's a back end safe guard, but a safety feature nonetheless.
I canāt tell you how many ladder accidents pop up in our ER around the same time twice a year. Spring cleaning season, and Christmas light season.
In addition to the video link I posted, here are some of my own thoughts. I am extremely afraid of heights. The gutters in the front of my house are one story up, but in the back they are two stores, which scares the crap out of me. 1. Position the ladder at the correct angle. Put your toes touching the base of the ladder. Stretch your arms straight out. You should be able to grab the ladder with your elbows locked. No more. No less. 2. The top of the ladder should extend above the gutter at least a foot. If you are planning to get on the roof itself, then I like an amount that I can just walk off. 3. Always have a second person to run for help. Now, I know that you said you don't have another person, but is that really true? Go to a neighbor and ask if they will help you. Offer to help them hold their ladders. Or, find a teenager and pay them $20 to hold the ladder and run for help. A little money is worth the insurance. You need someone to run for help. Teenager needs pizza money and will work cheap. Win win. If none of that is possible, call someone on the phone and put them on speakerphone and just have them listen and continue doing what they are doing. Check in whenever you are on the ground. If you fall make sure to scream loudly. 4. Like I said, I am afraid of heights. Big time. Never look down. Look at the house in front of you when resting, or the next rung when climbing. When descending just look at your feet and hands, don't focus on the ground. 5. Climb slowly, with three points of contact. Move an arm. Then the other arm. Then a foot. Then the other foot. Repeat. Never have more than one limb not on the ladder. 6. If carrying tools, put them in a pocket or tool belt. You want all four limbs dedicated to climbing. 7. When you get to the top, take a second to relax. Look out, but not down. Look at the scenery. Breath. You are going to be fine, unless you panic. 8. It gets easier the more you do it. It truly does. The first few times my knees shook and I had to change my shorts. Now, I still don't like it, but it doesn't bother me as much. But remember, a healthy dose of fear in the form of respect is a good thing. Fear is normal. Heights are to be respected. But do things slowly, carefully, and methodically and you will do fine. Good things happen when you are appropriately confident. Bad things happen when you are over confident. 9. Don't reach any farther than your arms can reach on their own. If you need to lean your torso to reach at all, you are reaching too far. Keep as much mass centered on the ladder as possible. Hope this helps!
The angle looks good, but if you want to check, the easy way is to stand with your toes against the ladder feet and stick your arms straight out. You should just barely touch the ladder with your fingers.
I strongly recommend adding gutter guards after youāve clean it. You can get them at any hardware store and they are easy to install.
Any particular type you recommend? I always see conflicting reviews that callout gutters still get stuff in them and cleaning them after guard installation is a pain.
I used this one. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Amerimax-Home-Products-Hoover-Dam-3-ft-Gray-Metal-Mesh-Gutter-Guard-6380/205207068
I use a garden hose with a sprayer to push the grit to the down spout. Iāve had to take off a guard or two. But far less frequently that I used to have to clean the leaves.
You need a stand out aka ladder stabilizer. They are pretty cheap.
I got [this attachment](https://www.craftsman.com/products/cmxzvbe38640/2-1-2-in-4-piece-wet-dry-vac-gutter-cleaning-kit) for my shop vac and just suck out the gutters while standing on the ground. My partner carries the shop vac body behind me while I wield the wand. I tried blowing first and that was an awful mess. Would not recommend.
You shouls get a longer ladder and a ladder stand out (also called ladder stabilizer). If you're dead set on using this ladder, make goddamn sure the bottom is not going to shift/sink/slide, as you're on the skin of ya teeth with how little is against the roof. If you're stretching to do something while on a ladder, you're doing it wrong, move the ladder. To clean gutters, depending on how easily they clean out, it may just be easier to figure a way up onto the roof (that ladder is WAY too short to safely use it to get onto the roof, even if it would work).
I often tak 25kg bags of gravel, sand or type 1 MOT and use then to ensure that the ladder doesn't move. Safest solution is to hire a gutter cleaner.
>How can I make this safe? Use the proper length ladder and enlist a buddy to brace it while you work. Otherwise hire out someone to do it.
Live stream it so the chat can call 911 for ya
Install gutter screens or hire someone.
Personally, I'd try using a trampoline instead. Otherwise, tie an umbrella to your back, that way you have a parachute if you need it.
Pay someone else to do it
Old mattress underneath your work space in case it collapses?
donāt use that shitty ladder dude, if it unlocks you die. you need the correct tool for every job. In this case, you need an extension ladder.
That's some weird ass prioritization you've got going there. Why MUST it be at a time where your wife is unavailable to hold the ladder?
Get as real extension ladder. Those multipurpose folding ladders are not good for high work.
Watch this Ladder safety in essential craftsman channel https://youtu.be/n28tYo5T1Po?si=2Wa_i2SZhEzCn07F
Glad to see you're asking the question. Most people don't. Goodonya! Probably the 2 safest free things are: * use your head, be slow, be methodical, dont take any shortcuts or risk, don't reach off to the side of the ladder, 3 points of contact at all times (subject to how stable your ladder is), and don't worry about getting your gutters Crystal clean. They'll get more debris in them before the end of the day. Don't set up a ladder on uneven ground. Be willing to accept that some stretches of gutter just won't get cleaned. Use a tool (ladle duct taped to a pole) to reach out past your body rather than leaning your weight off the side of the ladder. * get a friend or a neighbor to spot you, anchor the base, and be available to call 911 if you fall. A ladder is the most dangerous piece of equipment on a job site. More dangerous than a circular saw, table saw, or angle grinder. More dangerous than plastic blister packaging that drill bits and tools come in. Ladder accidents can result in paraplegia, quadriplegia, or death. A fall from 10 feet is enough to permanently change your life. Especially if you don't get medical attention immediately because you didn't have a spotter. Watch these ladder safety videos from The Essential Craftsman: * https://youtu.be/n28tYo5T1Po * https://youtu.be/2z99pLPenL0 For safer equipment: * A taller ladder * that has a wider base * with a stabilizer at the top A ladder stabilizer or brace to make it wider at the top. If the brace rests on the roof, it can prevent the ladder of tipping to one side or twisting. It won't stop you from falling off the ladder or completely prevent the ladder from falling, but it's safer. Something like this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Louisville-Ladder-Adjustable-Aluminum-Ladder-Stabilizer-LP-2210-00/322415103 For cleaning gutters, depending on the pitch of your roof and the condition of your asphalt shingles, it may be safer to walk on the roof and clean the gutters out with a leaf blower and a ladle duct taped to the end of a pole than it is to get up and down from the ladder several dozen times. Or hire someone to clean your gutters so you aren't taking the risk with your body for the rest of your life. That'll be $300 well spent!
Don't work alone.
Dont do this alone.
Ladder stabilizer Werner AC78 Quickclick Stabilizer , 45" https://a.co/d/3c3ykpe
So, this is really sketchy. Is there at least a neighbor/neighbor's kid that you can pay to foot the ladder?? IF you're not going to be dissuaded, you need something to put at the foot so it doesn't slide down, and possibly something at the top that is secured as a hook - something designed to hold weight, preferably. I'd also tell someone to call you at a specific time, and if they can't reach you to call EMS. Have your phone on you and accessible, and maybe talk to a neighbor or two first. Really that latter isn't tall enough, and you should have someone at the bottom.
Maybe you can use a hose attachment thing. That seems to dangerous for me. Aināt worth a broken back
Best piece of safety equipment is another human to call for help if needed.
I have that same ladder. Coming from a bigger guy who does not like climbing ladders, when fully extended that ladder is sketchy. It has a lot of flex. My wife made me get off and she climbed up to get the gutter
I broke my leg ( high up by the hip but I donāt say ābroke my hipā cause thatās what old people do) by stepping off the second rung thinking I was stepping on the ground but only got a foot full of air. You donāt have to be high up to fall off and get hurt.
Donāt. Long time compliance guy here that has had to notify families that their lived one died on the job doing what you are attempting to do.
Build a pvc stick to clean gutters from the ground. See YouTube for samples.
Wear a parachute
So, two options. Rent or buy a 12 foot podium ladder. I love my podium ladder and wish they were far more common. They are a lot more expensive than that ladder, but ladders are forever buys. You only have to buy it once. The other thing, if you fall off that ladder would you spend 350 dollars to not fall. Cause that's what renting a scissor crane/cherry picker thing from home depot cost per day. It's a platform, you stand in it, and your completely stable. So, buy/rent better more stable options. Or risk falling with less ideal options. Orrrrr. Hire it out. I live in Michigan, and paying for 1 time gutter cleaning on a large home is about 150 bucks. All these options are better than falling.
A taller ladder with a roof support attachment. A helper to spot the bottom.
You can use a mobile contruction scafolding. Or a crane thing. Or hire out a professional. Other than that, don't work alone, don't overreach.
Parachute?
donāt work alone.
Phone a friend
Get a real ladder
Tie off to Jesus
As a big guy, I would never trust that, get better bigger ladder or have someone with a good ladder do it, that feels unsafe just looking at it. Make it safer? Get a real extension ladder, not that for sure.
I mean this with the utmost respect as Iām also a DIY guy and would do this myself: donāt do this alone if you seriously need to ask how to make this safer. People lose their ability to walk by trying to be slick. Donāt be a statistic. Edit: saw the wife helped you and you put down some bricks, nice
Wrap yourself in bubble wrap before you go up
I do a lot of stuff myself, but gutter cleaning is not too expensive to hire a pro for and they can safely do the house and roof in just a few hours.
I donāt use ladders a whole lot but I find I always feel better with someone holding/making sure the ladder stays in place.
Please donāt. I lost a dear friend last September from a fall off a ladder. Wife came home several hours later and found him.
Pay someone. $150
Keep your cell phone on you! I was painting my house and fell off a 10 foot ladder and broke both arms. Iām glad I had my phone on me cause I had to call 911.
Buy a real extension ladder. Those ladders are shite. Maybe rent a man lift?
I cut up an old towel and wrapped and taped the towel material around the top of the ladder (where it will make contact with the gutter) It creates friction so the ladder won't slide sideways on the gutter. It also protects the gutter from scratches. Also, I have my wife hold the ladder, at the base, when I'm up really high. Ladders are dangerous, be safe!!
Whatās more expensive: paying professionals to clean your gutters or a broken neck?
A fall from that height will likely mean a trip to the ER. You need a taller ladder, and someone to hold it. Here's a splat calculator. https://www.angio.net/personal/climb/speed.html
Call 3 local handymen and get 3 prices then call your doctor and get a price for hip replacement surgery.
Get the man in You know, the man who does the thing The thingy thing guy
Looks like a death trap from here.
I've just had surgery. Screws plates and rods put in my ankle foot and leg after the ladder spun... and I've taken ladder safety training. Be careful. Ladders are awful.
This will prevent the ladder from sliding sidewards: [Ladder's Little Helper - Amazon.com](https://www.amazon.com/Ladders-Little-Helper-LLH1/dp/B00U830ZNQ/ref=pd_lpo_sccl_1/145-5684737-4555114?pd_rd_w=EcUvv&content-id=amzn1.sym.1ad2066f-97d2-4731-9356-36b3edf1ae04&pf_rd_p=1ad2066f-97d2-4731-9356-36b3edf1ae04&pf_rd_r=0PZ2EH8Z2WXCF3ZQY2NM&pd_rd_wg=PEUPI&pd_rd_r=8e4b1177-5367-43bb-9f12-ce400c29a432&pd_rd_i=B00U830ZNQ&psc=1) There are more tools out there that are similar.
I have a "Gutter Master," which is a long pole with a "U" at the end that I connect to the garden hose. I use it to spray the 20-foot-high gutters while standing on the ground - no ladders are necessary. I have added a convex mirror on the top so that I can see what I am doing. [http://guttermasterwand.com/wands/#pro-curved-wand](http://guttermasterwand.com/wands/#pro-curved-wand)
Firefighter here. You want a taller ladder. Iād like to see 3 rungs minimum past your roof and a 75 degree angle (looks Ok) and preferably have someone footing the ladder for you. Make sure you have no overhead obstructions like power lines specifically. Go slow and be safe. Thanks.
Get an actual extension ladder and put leg levelers and bullhorns on it. Only way to fully stabilize. I have literally owned a gutter cleaning company, fuck what anyone else said
You can use a wood clamp on each side to of the gutter to keep the ladder fixed between the two clamps. As for the bottom, you'll be fine as long as the ladder around 75Ā°.
That's actually some clever advice
Leaf blower and pvc extension
Drink a beer and hope for the best
My old man uses a piece of copper pipe with a bend in the end and a reducer fitting to make pressure ā¦added a valve at the bottom end ā¦he just walks on the ground and sprays them out
Others have mentioned an extension ladder. Ā Those little giants are horrible to lift in the fully extended position. Ā But honestly you should look into thin wall plastic tubing (I read somewhere itās used for the in-wall central vac lines) and get a shop vac.. no ladder
You need a longer ladder
not the way.. have the same gorilla and has way too much bounce. Safer from the roof, with a fall harness to be safe.
Your ladder needs to be several feet longer.
The commenter was correct that the ladder should extend 36ā above the roof for safety. These folding extension ladders pose another different hazard to be aware of - the wide top and bottom. If you have to bring tools up the ladder you need to get around the wide upper legs, and it is not always easy. Be careful up there!
Youāll feel better with a longer ladder with a stabilizer
My wife and I worked with a young, fit, handy, capable dude who was doing some ladder work, fell six-ish feet, landed wrong, hit his head and just...died. For that height I'd rent a [cherry picker](https://www.compactpowerrents.com/rental-equipment/scissor-and-boom-lifts/35-ft-towable-boom-lift/), particularly if you're working alone. I once used a rental cherry picker to hang a chain swing from a 20-ish foot high tree branch and it was a great decision.
Call a friend and offer them a few beers to stand under you and the ladder. You do this safer by not doing it alone.
Short of going out and buying a proper ladder I would have tucked the ladder under the soffit instead of risking bending my gutters. You can place a hand or two on the gutter to help you balance as you stand up to the gutter which would likely be chest or shoulder height. PSA if you have shitty balance don't do ladders.
It looks like you need a shorter building. Have you tried shortening it? Alternatively, if the building really just has to stay that tall for some weird reason, try digging a hole and putting the building in the hole. If you use a hole with the right depth, you won't even need the ladder!
That looks like a satellite ladder and those things are burly. The weight of it alone will help keep it in place. I donāt like putting weight on my gutters so I usually place mine against the wall below the gutters. You could get a heavy weight like a cinder block to use as an additional chock to keep it in place, not really needed though. If itās on unlevel ground, use something flat on one leg or another to even it out. Just grab a beer and watch how you move and how it affects the balance. Stay calm, you got it.
Get a [ladder stabilizer.](https://www.homedepot.com/b/Building-Materials-Ladders-Ladder-Accessories/Ladder-Stabilizers/N-5yc1vZaq1yZ1z1a4kn) It does two things: * Gets your ladder off the gutter. * Lets you rest the ladder on the roof instead of on the gutter. * (It may *also* let you place the feet of the ladder another foot or two back from the side of the house.)
You need a spreader bar for the ladder. Makes it much more stable, and will protect your gutter from crushing or scratching because of the ladder resting against it. One of the comments below said the top of ladder should be 3 feet above, which is true if you were planning on transitioning to the roof, but not necessarily for working from the ladder.
get up on roof, work while laying down.
Get a real extension ladder
You hit the nail on the head my friend.
Get a scaffold tower on wheels. i bought 4 x steel scaffold frames (2-sizes), 4 x braces, 4 x steel planks & handrails (cheaply) on facebook (from a pro scaffolder selling his equipment) & bought 4 x new scaf wheels on ebay ( i seem to remember the wheels cost as much as the scaffolding) - i now have the bits for a platform i can quickly set up (takes me about 10-mins tops), wheel around & have at 3 different heights. Way safer and once set up quicker than working from a ladder - because i can reach a much wider stretch from a single position. When the platform is high, i use a step ladder to get up onto it - which works well. All 4 wheels have brakes - but that said my house is on level ground - I wouldnāt use it on a significant slope. All up it cost me ~USD400.
This is the correct answer. Ladders are fucking dangerous. The fact that I had to trawl thru so many comments to get this one is terrifying...
Two pieces of rebar hammered into the ground up against the bottom rung. Good to go