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Eureka, CA
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[#1] Posted: 07/02/2012 - 11:46:16 AM |  |  |
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My wife does property damage claims work. There was an old Victorian that she needed photos of at the top of showing shingle damage. I took my 28 ft ladder over and fully extended and sitting on the first step of some stairs it overlapped the gutter by 6 inches or so. I placed it right next to the valley. The fields were too steep to walk. I climbed up just to take a look knowing that the ladder was too short to step off of. Way the heck up there the valley looked like is was shallow enough to go up. Went home and got my 32 footer. On the way home my wife mentioned how the shingles were old and I said that in that area they looked to be in pretty good shape. Back up at the valley, as soon as I stepped off I thought "This is not going to be friendly stepping back onto this ladder, so I's best keep going up". As I neared the top of the valley the granules were starting to come off, but I summited. Started taking my pictures and thinking how am I going to get back down. There were a couple of shed roof additions on top. Found more shingle damage, etc. After considering crying, calling fire department, and yelling "Help Mr. Wizard", I saw where I could move onto one dormer about 10ft below, then slide down its eave to a 2ft deep flat roof, follow it over and jump down about 3ft to a lower roof, hoping I would not crash through it, then called out to my wife in my manly voice, "Honey could you bring the ladder over here, pretty please". She managed to upright that long ladder and lower it all on her own and with a sprained ankle moved it over to where I was which was still a good 14 ft up. That was fun. 
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| Denny Waters |
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Friday Harbor, WA
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Almost had to scream
[#2] Posted: 07/02/2012 - 1:10:08 PM | | |
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Next time... helmet-cam video
My roofer never puts his ladder at an eave if the roof is steep, he puts in right at the ridge and climbs over the top of it.
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Eureka, CA
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Almost had to scream
[#3] Posted: 07/02/2012 - 2:37:16 PM | | |
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The roof was way high.
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| Denny Waters |
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Lafayette, Louisiana
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Severna Park, Maryland
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Almost had to scream
[#5] Posted: 07/02/2012 - 3:15:45 PM | | |
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I would have gone back down the same way I went up in the case you describe. Cougar Paw boots help my feet stick good. I'd crab crawl down (feet first) if the granules were too loose.
I like less overhang of my ladder at the eave. This lets me step over it when getting back on. I can lean over the roof keeping the majority of my weight over the roof surface until my first foot is on a rung just below the eave. With my body weight mostly over the roof still, if I were to slip, I'd fall onto the roof surface.
When the ladder is higher above the eave edge you have no choice but to step around it with an upright stance and that is scary when you're high up. A slip from that position and you're way more likely to fall to the ground.
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John Dirks Jr - Arundel Home Inspection LLC - MD license: 29827
Maryland Home Inspectors - Maryland Home Inspection - Maryland Radon Testing - Baltimore County Rental Inspection
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Statham, GA
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Almost had to scream
[#6] Posted: 07/02/2012 - 4:46:21 PM | | |
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As someone who took 20+ stitches and a very sore back side resulting from a single story rooftop fall while trying to do a customer a favor and check something on a roof that I did not need to be on. I have to agree with Marc, above my pay grade on that one.
I had a different customer that has a roofing company and he mentioned getting a pair of boots like they use. Those boots have a replaceable sole on them and the material is super soft and sticks really well. Not sure if those are the Cougar Paws John made reference of or not, but I was told some of the non-big box hardware store carry those grippy shoes.
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Charles Wilson
www.awilsonhomeinspection.com
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Chicago, IL
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Severna Park, Maryland
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Victoria, British Columbia
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Chicago, IL
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Eureka, CA
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Almost had to scream
[#11] Posted: 07/02/2012 - 11:23:51 PM | | |
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Yeah, Kurt. If I had tied that ladder off then I could of handled a little bit of granule slide right down to the ladder, if that happened. As it was it looked pretty flimsy for anything other than a dainty straddle. And me being fresh off the back break deal. Not sure how well stickier shoes on loose granules would have worked out. Start going downhill with granules rolling off, not good. So, I high tailed it for the ridge to figure out another plan. I used to do a bunch of rock climbing in another life.
Think how stupid I would had felt going back down that valley and biting out, again! Bad enough to have gone up it.
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| Denny Waters |
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Victoria, British Columbia
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Almost had to scream
[#12] Posted: 07/03/2012 - 7:36:46 PM | | |
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Right. Cargo straps would be better than a bungee.
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Ridgewood, NJ
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Eureka, CA
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Almost had to scream
[#14] Posted: 07/04/2012 - 09:37:12 AM | | |
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My wife just said, " Did you say all the stuff she has done for me while I have been screwing around trying to get this gig working"?
P.S. I had the easiest house to inspect yet yesterday. 1600 sq ft on a slab with electric baseboard heaters, 1989, newer roof well done, truss, bottom edges painted, and the Realtor and client went out into the garage and pushed the button. There happened to be a tarp type carport out front that had been tied off to the spring system for the vehicle door. The rope got all wound up and jerked the door off track. The owner just left for vacation. It was 80 miles from here and I just left the house and came home while they figured it out.
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| Denny Waters |
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Victoria, British Columbia
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Almost had to scream
[#15] Posted: 07/04/2012 - 10:10:20 AM | | |
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"the Realtor and client went out into the garage and pushed the button."
Yeah, those are the stories we can tell our kids when we're old and grey. Hey, I'm already old and grey, dang it. 
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Eureka, CA
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Almost had to scream
[#16] Posted: 07/04/2012 - 5:15:47 PM | | |
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The garage door auto button on the wall. It could have been me. That house was well put together, but check out its chimney cap.
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| Denny Waters |
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Swansea, IL
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Almost had to scream
[#17] Posted: 07/05/2012 - 05:39:33 AM | | |
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That is one hell of a chimney cap mess.
On another note - I've never had any big garage door malfunctions - but before I open them I always inspect the tracks, cables, springs, etc...
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Mark A. Perry
www.ahis1.com
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