Staying Safe on Your Ladder When Painting Your Home

Anyone who’s no stranger to home improvements and repairs has been up on a ladder before. Whether it was to change a lightbulb that was out of reach, to scrape out and empty the gutters encircling your roof, or to paint the trim around your second story windows, you may have found yourself climbing feet off the ground to help get the job done. However, without a little preparation and precaution, climbing a ladder can be dangerous.

The professional painters in Orlando at New Ceilings find themselves up on ladders just about every day, so they have a bit of experience in the subject. Here are a few expert tips to help you stay safe the next time you climb a ladder to take care of painting and touch-ups:

• Inspection is very important. Probably the most important step you can take is to inspect your ladder before you climb it, making sure that it’s in great shape and able to support your weight. Any rusted or broken rungs would be extremely dangerous to your safety.

• Make sure the top of your ladder goes three feet higher than the point you want to reach. Too often, homeowners make the most of a short ladder, teetering on the uppermost rungs to reach the tall spots. This is extremely dangerous! A good rule of thumb is to make sure the top of the ladder goes at least 3 feet higher than your intended destination to help balance out the weight difference and make the ladder less top-heavy.

• Ensure that the base of your ladder is level. Leaving the base of your ladder on a stony foundation or a sloped landscape can easily cause you to lose your balance, sending you falling. Never climb a ladder that’s not situated evenly.

• Keep a proper angle against your wall. You can’t have your ladder positioned flush against your wall–doing so doesn’t provide the proper support for your body weight. The pros recommend having your ladder 3 feet away from the wall for every 9 feet of height.

Any time you need to climb a ladder, it’s important that you take every step to ensure your safety, as injuries from falls can be particularly harmful. If you’re a newbie to home repair or you’re unsure of your ladder’s quality, why not leave the painting to the pros? New Ceilings’ team of painters in Orlando can provide even the tallest of buildings with a quality paint job. To schedule your free consultation, give us a call at (407) 378-6040 today.