Roof and ladder safety for homeowners

The safest way to check your roof is from the ground, and our roof inspection is free. But if you’re going to use a ladder to clean gutters or take a closer look, here is how to set it up the way the pros do, and what to leave to a roofer.

Should you go up at all?

Stay off the roof if:

• It’s wet, icy, frosty, or covered in leaves or snow. The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association warns never to climb onto a wet or snow-covered roof.
• It’s steeper than you can comfortably walk on.
• It’s two stories or higher.
• It’s windy, or a storm is on the way.
• A storm just damaged it. Damaged shingles and soft decking can give way.
• You’re home alone. Have someone there to hold the ladder and call for help if needed.

Most of what you need to see, you can see from the ground, an upstairs window or the attic. Our roof warning signs guide shows what to look for.

Ladder safety: set it up right

These rules come from OSHA’s ladder safety guidance, the same rules our crews follow:

• Inspect the ladder first. Don’t use one that is bent, cracked or missing feet.
• Look up for power lines before you carry or raise the ladder. Never use a metal ladder near power lines.
• Use the 4-to-1 rule. For every 4 feet of height to where the ladder rests, set the base 1 foot out from the wall.
• Extend it at least 3 feet above the roof edge, so you have something to hold when stepping on and off.
• Set it on firm, level ground. Never on boxes, buckets or anything that can shift. On a slope or uneven ground, use leg levelers.
• Tie it off. Secure the ladder at the top or the bottom so it can’t slide or kick out.
• Check that the locks are engaged on an extension ladder before you climb.
• Keep 3 points of contact: two hands and a foot, or two feet and a hand. Face the ladder and keep your body between the rails.
• Don’t stand on the top 3 rungs of an extension ladder.
• Stay under the weight rating, counting you, your tools and anything you carry.
• Never move the ladder with someone on it.

Protect your gutters

Leaning a ladder on a gutter can dent it, bend the hangers and pull it loose from the fascia. A ladder standoff holds the top of the ladder off the gutter and against the wall or roof instead.

What the pros use

This is the gear that keeps our crews steady and safe on Missouri roofs:

Adjustable-leg ladder or leg levelers

Each leg adjusts so the ladder sits level on a slope, uneven ground or stairs. Little Giant’s Leveler has ratchet levelers with more than 7 inches of adjustment.
Where to find it: The Little Giant Leveler is sold at Lowe’s.

Ladder standoff

Holds the ladder off the gutter and away from the wall, like Little Giant’s Wing Span.
Where to find it: Ladder dealers and hardware stores.

Ladder tie-off strap

Secures the top of the ladder to a solid anchor so it can’t slide sideways or kick out.
Where to find it: Hardware stores and roofing suppliers.

Pitch Hopper

A foam wedge that gives you a level spot to stand, kneel or set tools on a sloped roof.
Where to find it: Roofing supply houses such as ABC Supply and QXO (formerly Beacon).

Roof brackets and a toe board

Nailed in under the shingles to give a foothold on steep roofs.
Where to find it: Roofing suppliers. Installed by roofers.

Harness, rope and roof anchor

Personal fall protection that stops a fall if you slip.
Where to find it: For trained crews only, with a properly installed anchor.

OSHA requires fall protection for construction work 6 feet or more above a lower level, which is why our crews tie off. A Pitch Hopper or roof bracket helps you stand steady, but it does not stop a fall. Fine Homebuilding notes the Pitch Hopper is not a substitute for fall protection.

If you don’t have the right gear, or you’re not sure, that’s a good sign to call us instead.

Jobs you can do from the ground

• Look over the roof with binoculars or your phone’s zoom.
• Check the attic on a sunny day for daylight, stains or damp insulation.
• Clear one-story gutters with a gutter-cleaning attachment for a garden hose or leaf blower.
• Pull heavy snow off the lower edge with a roof rake, never a shovel.
• Keep tree branches trimmed back from the roof.

Let us do the climbing

ShingleCare+ is $99 a year: we clear debris from the roof and valleys, clean the gutters (or gutter guard tops), seal exposed nail heads and pipe boots, and send you a Roof Health Report with photos. Something already look wrong? Book a free inspection below.

This page is general safety information, not training. Follow your ladder’s labels and the maker’s instructions for any safety gear.

Keep reading

• Roof warning signs: what to look for
• Roof maintenance calendar
• Fall Gutter Guide
• All homeowner resources

Common questions

What is the 4-to-1 rule for ladders?

For every 4 feet of height from the ground to where the ladder rests, set the base 1 foot away from the wall. A ladder resting 16 feet up should start about 4 feet out.

Is a Pitch Hopper fall protection?

No. It gives you a level place to stand or kneel on a sloped roof, but it won’t stop a fall. Roofers use it along with a harness and anchor.

Is it safe for me to walk on my roof?

On a dry, low-slope, one-story roof with the right shoes and a helper, many homeowners can. On anything steep, high, wet or storm-damaged, leave it to a roofer. Our inspection is free.