The Christmas season got me thinking - there is surely a house near all of us (or perhaps your own house) which goes overboard on the Christmas lights and decorations; a full scale sleigh complete with eight reindeer perched on the roof, strings of icicle lights dangling from the gutters, nativity scenes, miniature grottos, and that's just the start of it!  Obviously a tall ladder is needed to put up most of these decorations, but for the ones right on the rooftop (the sleigh, Santa going down the chimney) a proper roof ladder is the best way to safely put them up.  Homeowners don't generally have a year-round need for a roof ladder though, so an investment in this piece of kit is a great idea for people with only an occasional need for a roof ladder.  It fits onto any standard ladder to convert it into a roof ladder by clamping onto the rungs.  There are also other styles of converter, one of which is an "S" shaped hook where one end fits over the roof crest and the other end is where the ladder is hung.  These are not as practical as the Universal Roof Hook though, as that design also includes the wheels, which make roof ladders easy to get up to the top of the roof without damaging the roof itself.

Roof ladders are usually made from aluminium alloy as it makes the ladders incredibly light to use, but still gives the strength and stability needed when working on a roof.  Originally, they were made of wood and instead of having rungs like a normal ladder, the design was for cleats nailed to a board, still allowing the user to 'climb' up the board but not as easily as with proper rungs.  Modern roof ladders have a large hook at the top with wheels on the opposite side of the ladder, allowing them to be wheeled up to the top of the roof, turned over and hooked over the crest of the roof.  The wheels keep the ladder off the roof tiles so there's no chance of damage or cracks to the roof surface.  These specialised ladders are used by roofers, construction workers, TV aerial and satellite dish installers, chimney repairers, other tradespeople who frequently need access to the roof, and surveyors.  These ladders are also referred to as chicken ladders, often in America, because of the hooks at the top.  Ladders for chicken coops also have these hooks at the top so they can be removed at night to prevent foxes getting in via the ladder.

Midland Ladders offer roof ladders from two manufacturers, Lyte and PROCAT.  Lyte are a very well respected name in ladders and they manufacture single roof ladders as well as extending roof ladders.  The single models come in lengths from three to five and a half metres, spaced in half metre increments.  The longest model weighs only just over thirteen kilos, which is very light for such a strong ladder.  Rubber covered bars on the side of the ladder in contact with the roof stop damage to tiles and other roof surfaces by evenly distributing the weight of the ladder and person on it over as large an area as possible.  Deep serrated rungs provide excellent grip, which increases the safety of this ladder.

The extending roof ladders from Lyte also come in increments of half a metre, from three, to four and a half.  The fully extended length of the three metre model is just over four and a half metres, and the fully extended length of the four and a half metre model is just over seven and a half metres.  The extension sections lock at every rung interval meaning that the perfect length can always be achieved, unless the roof is on Buckingham Palace!  The extending ladders also come with bearer bars and deep serrated treads, but they are heavier than their non extending counterparts because they are much bigger.  The longest extending roof ladder from Lyte weighs in at twenty kilos, which is not too heavy for a ladder of that size, but does mean that the person manoeuvring the ladder on the roof needs to be quite strong to successfully place the ladder over the roof crest while maintaining control of the ladder position.

PROCAT roof ladders are designed as a modular system for convenience and transportation.  They come in sections that join together with wingnuts, and extra sections can be bought separately which increases the flexibility of this roof ladder system.  The shortest model is just under four metres long and comes in two pieces, and the longest model is just over six metres long, made up of four sections.  These sections are different lengths, allowing the ladder to be used in lengths of eight, eleven, fourteen, seventeen and twenty feet.  This ladder also weighs less than fourteen kilos, making is significantly lighter than the longest Lyte extending model (although the PROCAT is slightly shorter by comparison).

The PROCAT models are available in lengths of twelve, fourteen, sixteen, eighteen and twenty feet, but of course with extra sections of three, four or six feet there is almost no end to the length of this ladder.  If the Lyte ladders won't stretch to the job of Buckingham Palace, then the PROCAT system certainly will.  Another great benefit of the modular system is that not all the sections need to be used; meaning the weight of the ladder in use will be as light as possible.  Compare this approach to the Lyte extending ladders, and even if the ladder is not extended very far, the total weight is still the same as if it were fully extended.  This is great for professionals as the perfect ladder length can be achieved with either type of ladder, but the PROCAT approach keeps the weight down.

The PROCAT roof ladder system is very well made, with professional roofing contractors in mind (hence the clever multiple lengths which make the ladder easily transportable inside a van, and the opportunity to add extra sections as necessary).  The wheels are heavy duty, designed to withstand regular rolling across different roof surfaces, and the bearer bars are covered in rubber, giving added protection for the roof tiles as well as being non-slip.  The ridge hook is very strong, and the overall quality of this ladder system inspires the user with confidence in the kit.

Comparing the PROCAT and Lyte ladder systems, it seems like the PROCAT is best for the professional.  There is not a significant difference in price between the two manufacturers, but the weight and versatility advantages of the PROCAT ladders make them a standout winner.  Of course, the Lyte ladders are also well made and used by professionals, but they don't offer the same flexibility of length.  This may not be a problem for people whose jobs involve working on the same height of roof each time (for example maintenance workers in a residential complex, or domestic aerial fitters), but for the construction trade, especially the sector involved in commercial construction, the PROCAT has to be the obvious choice.  A bigger job doesn't mean buying a whole new ladder; it just means buying a new section.  Plus, the more sections you acquire, the more ladders you end up with, because buying another shorter PROCAT model means you also get another section with the roof hook and wheels.  It's the system than grows and adapts with the business.