Im not asking about a waterfed pole but rather an extension pole. I have a gorilla 22’ multi position( yes i know its not the best but will have to work) and was wondering if I can do 2 or 3 story houses with that ladder or should I just use pole?
I actually find it more convenient and effective to ladder up and clean the glass, corners, edges; after all I usually have to get up there anyway to pull the screens.
Ladders can be expensive. Check out your local pawn shop. 
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If an average home is worth $200–$300 loosly, I dont see how a $250 investment in a ladder is considered expensive.
Buy new, used wont save much.
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Yeah, for a house you want a ladder or wfp. I’ve used extension poles on 2-2.5-3 stories and it’s a pain in the butt and you had better be a gorilla ninja with that pole. Oh, and watch your thumbs when you collapse that optiloc because it WILL take a nice bite if you’re not careful.
The trick is that with some windows you can tilt them in and with sliders you can remove one side and clean the window from the inside. If they’re older windows, use a ladder because it can be a royal pain to try and tilt close old windows and sometimes old sliders will not play nice.
A nice 24’ extension ladder will get you most homes but 3 stories might be a stretch and you might need a 28 or 32. Get the 32 if you’re going to do gutters.
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Just remember to get Type III extension ladders, they are the lightest. I don’t think they make 32’ in type III (red caps) and whenever I have use my 32’ I struggle. I cannot plant a 40’ by myself…
Ladder up!
Green cap 32 is the lightest. 225 pound rating
Red Caps Type III
16’ 200lb rated weighs 18,5Lb.
20’ 200lb rated weighs 23Lb
24’ 200lb rated weighs 30Lb.
Green Caps Type II
16’ 225lb rated weighs 22Lb.
20’ 225lb rated weighs 27Lb.
24’ 225lb rated weighs 33,5 Lb.
Red caps ladders are a bit narrower and perhaps thinner aluminum.
Mind, blue caps are even heavier than Green.
Wow minimum load ladder here to be used by a non home owner is 125kg.
What is preferred is a 150kg.
I am only 140lbs (no heavy dudes using my ladders:) I am on a ladder 200 days a year at least and when you load/unload and move ladders all day long, every pound matters! Oftentimes I plant a 24’ to get onto a balcony or upper deck and have to bring a 16’ with me, trying to minimize ladder traffic through house.
All my extension ladders have orange mitts bolted, so they don’t come off and have leg levelers (Xtenda Leg with orange rubber traction plates). Fully extended leg levelers give you additional foot in height, sometimes that extra foot comes handy.
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I did 12 years of using ladders every day 22, 32 and a 40, here regardless of how often you use a ladder the standards are the standards, if you were to try use a 100kg ladder (which is lowest rating) you would be kicked off any commercial site, I used to lug around 35Lb 22’ ladder all day every day, still do but these day not as often.
from what I have seen in pics and videos aluminum ladders in the USA seem very poorly made in comparison to the main ladders that we have had here for ever since I was a small child
Werner is a reputable ladder maker, they make ALL sorts of ladders. All ladders can be used here by professionals as long as you use them within load specs. I am glad we can get away using much lighter ladders, saving our backs:)
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I’m not saying they are not reputable, just when I compare bailey ladders to those, from what i gather werner ladders are sold here as oldfields I have used these and if I had to choose it would not my choice.
That being said I would be surprised if you were able to get bailey ladders in the USA.
Pretty sure Werner ladders are different to oldfields.
Werner ladders here are 150kg minimum.
There is a much more variety in the US.
They actually bought baileys ladders out in 2013.
What i’m talking about is you have werner ladders like this
2 of the same size ladder with clamps holding them together, with ridged edges making this ladder uncomfortable to carry.
compared to
As you can see the construction of this ladder is completely different, you have an outer ladder and an inner ladder the inner ladder is designed to fit perfectly in the sleve of the outer ladder.
These were the only ladders I ever used my entire career of window cleaning dating back to 1995, every once in a very blue moon a subby would show up with the other type and they had the oldfields brand on them (back then) I never really felt safe on them compared to what I was used to.
I am pretty surprised that now werner owns the patents they wouldn’t construct a ladder that was superior.
Oh i didn’t even mention the patent rope pulley design.
Yea they are good ladders.
The indalex ladders are like that too.
I don’t think they make oldfields ladders anymore.
That is the way my Werners are made, except the rope attachment.
