[scarboroughwindows]

I'm just setting up, just been canvassing for the first time today and got four customers signed up after about a couple of hours of trying so I'm happy with that.

I'm just learning the techniques and have been practising using my house and friends houses. I'm having problems using the ladder. I've got a 4.0/7.1 titan ladder.

Is there a technique for cleaning the top of ground floor windows ? I can't reach the top of them just by stretching and if i try with the ladder I'm too far away to reach the window ? I used a pole but what do experienced wc's do ? Stand on a crate ?

The other question - what is the technique for fully extending a ladder ? If I extended it while it was laying flat I had problems lifting it up against the wall. Seems like using a ladder is a tricky business.
Stupid question like the title says..
Cheers for your advice
Jon

[rosskesava]

Hi

And no, the question is not daft and very far from it. You don't know just how much I felt a complete twitt playing silly bu**ers with ladders to start with.

For the ground floor work I use an 8ft A frame ladder.

Nothing else worked.

To extend a ladder I start off with it upright right next to where I want to use it, stand to one side of the ladder and hold the bit that don't extend, lift the extension up one rung, put my foot on the bottom rung to keep it on the ground and then extend the extention to what ever height I want it.

I'm not very good at describing things.

Cheers

Ross

[Ian Rochester]

If you can't afford a pointer ladder, (they are expensive) a small two or three tread set of good quality steps will do just as good a job and I actually prefer them, very light and easy to carry, especially if you are on your own with a set of big ladders bucket etc.  Also get yourself a bucket on a belt and pouches, makes life much easier.

[s.hughes]

I agree I like to use a small step ladder instead of an A-frame. You carry it folded up with your bucket on one hand & the ladder on the shoulder.
I used to have the same problem with the ladders years ago. I would extend it on the floor, then stand under it while I lifted it up the wall. As you can imagine it was not easy and a pethetic way of doing it. What I do now is extend it as much as possible and then go 1 or 2 steps up the ladder then extend it further that way. Put ladder mitts on the tops and this will help the ladder to slid up the wall & it stops the wall from getting damaged.
Hope this helps, but I also cant explain things very well.

[scarboroughwindows]

Cheers for the replies. They've helped a lot. I feel better knowing it isn't just me. 
Jon

[rosskesava]

Hi Jon

No, it is not just you.

I have read things on this forum that after reading I have thought why didn't I think of that.

I bet there will be many more postings to your question.

I have changed many things that I do in terms of w/c because of this forum.

Cheers

[Ian_Giles]

I think the explanations have been fine.
With a lightweight ladder it is a simple matter to stand with either one or both of your feet at the base of the ladder, hold the top of the ladder away from the wall, keep your eyes on the top of the ladder...fish uselessly around knee height for a rung...then remember to look at what you are trying to grab hold of and THEN keep eyes on the top of the ladder
Hoist it up as far as you can safely with one hand.
If you are not used to ladders then the trick now is to continue to raise the ladder to its maximum height.
God only knows how a single individual does this under current health & safety regs, but just about ever since someone invented an extention ladder, the normal method is to climb the ladder a rung or two and then extend it, one hand holding on to the larger, bottom stage, the other holding the bottom of one of the stiles of the topmost stage.
A balancing act is now required as you push up the top stage while lifting back to take the weight off the top of the ladder.
The higher you go, the harder you will find this, pushing the top stage up to the point where the...what is the proper name for them!!...hooks that go over the rungs hit the rung above is no problem, butthen you have to lift the ladder back so that you can move these hooks up and over the rung.
For someone not used to ladders, this can be difficult to  begin with, you panic and think the ladder is going to over balance
The higher you go the less likely this is going to happen, the centre of balance becomes safer, but because you are higher up the ladder you think it is just the opposite!
Once you have got the ladder up, and gibbering inside with fear have managed to balance on the balls of your feet on the last but one rung (I know, I know, but we've all done it........or even the top rung with your feet wedged under the widow sill (I'd have said window sill, but widow sill might be more apt ) for a bit of extra support ) one hand using the equipment, the fingertips of the other hand just maintaining some support (possibly in a gale force wind) on the outside edge of the window, not forgetting that ocasionally you have to have one leg out at an angle when you are on the tippy-toes of the other foot as you reach out to the one side to juuuust to reach that far corner of the second floor window you are working on
Humour aside, the hardest part is then taking down a fully extended ladder, you almost have to bounce the ladder off the wall while you are stood anything from 3 rungs to 8 or more rungs up said ladder.
For the begginer it can take several nerve racking attempts to 'bounce' the ladder far enough out to get the rung hooks up and over the rung.
And if you are lucky enough to have a mate taking the weight of the ladder you are panicing that he is going to push you and the ladder over!!!!

Have a nice day Y'all, I'm off to work with my WFP....not a ladder in sight!!


Ian

[Grafters Cleaning Services]

have considered wfp? much easier and safer

[gaza]

its like sex once you got the knack its easy
you will get to know your ladders soon you will be putting it up
without even guessing,Ive got loads of houses exactly the same height so I dont even have to think about it now

[Ian Rochester]

The same question can be asked about extending a 40ft WFP with a 14" brush head weighing down the top, do you lay it on the ground to extend it or do you put it up against the wall and risk getting the brush dirty?  It's all a knack that you have to get used to. 

Personnally I struggle to control our 40" pole when it is fully extended and you have water splashing around you, on a main street, cleaning the top windows of the local bank, with people standing on the other side of the road watching how you do it!

Practice whatever it is, somewhere quite where you are not being watched by all and sundry.

[Duke]

to be honest...the easiest way is to stick the brushead on the ground...brush up...and walk backwards until you have the desired height...then whoosh it up to the job...( a technique)...then turn the water on and clean. But watch out for 'scraping it along the ground' coz that makes it weak and will snap.....so I'm led to believe....what a load of old bollo**s...still. that's just my experience........

[dkelly]

email me a time and date when you will be on line .and i will sort you out....darrenakelly@hotmail.com