How can I stabilize the footing of a ladder?

Question

Whenever I saw a professional on a ladder, there was someone else at the foot of the ladder holding the sides of the ladder.

Now that my rain gutters are frozen solid, they are creaking, and I'm concerned the load may break them.

Is climbing to the gutters above the second level really a task that an amateur should not tackle, certainly not alone, or does there exist a way to dig the feet of the ladder (by spokes into the ground, perhaps) to stop the ladder from sliding?

Update: The unstated (but, I figured, pretty obvious) reason why I'm asking this question is that I'd like to save myself from even the most mundane of fall injuries.

In other words, please do not add comments saying it's dangerous. If you'd like to mention that repairing a slightly chipped tooth is far more expensive than hiring someone to do it, well, I know that. Feel free to write instead as an answer why this is so dangerous that no amateur should tackle it. Some tasks (such as rolling/unrolling garage door springs) are so risky, no amateur should tackle them. Some are outright illegal for an amateur to tackle (modifying the gas pipelines). Cleaning gutters is clearly not in the latter category. Is it in the former? Arguing for this is a perfectly valid answer.

Answer 1

Now that my rain gutters are frozen solid, they are creaking, and I'm concerned the load may break them.

You don't need a ladder. A garden hose taped to a long stick plus hot water will do the job just fine. If you can poke it out of a roof window, you'll need a shorter stick. You could also use a spray nozzle, but the water jet will be cold by the time it arrives on the ice you want to melt.

Plus you won't have to smash the ice which risks destroying your gutters in the process.

Answer 2

The question doesn't have a specific answer since ladders, ground conditions, and tools-on-hand vary. Here are some ideas.

• Use integrated spikes. Many extension ladders have feet which can be spun around to expose metal claw edges. These are not ideal on pavement, but work well on softer surfaces. If your ladder doesn't have clawed feet you may be able to flip the feet to the outside so the ladder legs dig into the ground.
• Dig small holes for the ends of the legs.
• Park a vehicle bumper against the ladder, or against a strong object which is against the ladder and can't flip over or slide out.
• Anchor the legs to a fixed object with the tension oriented under the ladder.

Answer 3

Most ladder accidents are not a result of leaning back until it tips, or indeed the footing slipping away, but from over-reaching & sending the ladder sliding or even spinning sideways.

The simplest, safest way to prevent ladder slippage & mitigate for over-reach is to attach wheels… to the top.

This means the force on the ladder is closer to vertical. The wheels allow for the full weight to press into the ground, reducing ground slip & are less prone to sideways slip at the top.

You can get these either in-line or attached to a wider stand-off, which is even more stable.

You still have to contend with your potentially slippery ground surface in this case. I would dig a 6" mini trench to park the feet in. Avoid the concrete apron in icy weather.

Answer 4

I hate heights. I have done a lot of roof work - I was a shingle demo boy in my teens. And I hated heights.

I can tell you from experience - because I will notice the least amount of wobble is that you can do whatever you want at the base. You can dig it down a foot.

It doesn't matter.

The risk isn't you tipping backwards (unless you set up your ladder foolishly). The fear once you start getting 12-15' or higher is sideways. It is psychological too. If you have a gutter 20' up you clean out and do whatever and lets say you reach a 3' span easily. Well you want to reach out an extra foot because you don't like going up and down that many times...

You lean a little too much and that ladder be sliding. Yes have had it happen quite a few times. You shat in your drawers and try to lean the other way. I was a teenager at the time and guess in my mind I thought I will jump and hang onto the gutters!

So that was a big speech that could be summed up by saying... once you go over 12-15' you either have to have some sort of side support for upper part of ladder or a spotter (big guy) at the bottom.

Answer 5

Some more ideas, assuming the goal is to avoid ladder kickout...

I had an idea sparked by a page to put a 2x4 near the legs and pound it in with two huge stakes into it. Maybe add some sandbags? Put a big rock outside the lowest run? Pound a wedge into it/put it in a hole? :)

More standard advice is to tie it off at the top (rope to something on both sides, lock jaw ladder grip that grabs the gutters, ladder anchor that grips a board). Use a stand off. Wear a harness that's anchored from up high or the other side. Drill a screw into the wall so you can attach to it (or something through a window?) and/or harness yourself to the ladder itself.

Or multiple of the above. Or scaffolding. Or a lift machine with a bucket. I'll admit the lock jaw ladder grip makes the ladder feel secure, as do stand offs though a little less. You want something at the bottom (if unsafe to climb), then something at the top. At least something at the top. Good luck!