Home Design
 

Updated Homes Require Updated Tools

(Metro) -- Take a stroll around the neighborhood in which you grew up, and chances are you may not recognize the place. As the home-improvement industry continues to grow, so, too, do many houses. Homeowners everywhere are building out and up, adding on extensions or raising roofs.

With these taller homes have come higher ceilings and more nooks and architectural details than ever before, adding to a home's aesthetic appeal but making maintenance a more difficult process.

Thus, ladders are important tools to have around. They're required to clean out gutters or paint house trim outdoors, while indoors they're handy for cleaning windows, installing molding or even replacing light bulbs. Traditional ladders, however, can be difficult to store and vary in size, meaning many homeowners need more than one ladder just to meet their maintenance needs.

Ladder manufacturers continually seek out ways to build a better ladder. As home trends change, so do the features of ladders. For example, the Xtend & Climb telescoping ladder from Core Distribution, Inc. weighs just 25 pounds and offers homeowners the same reach as a standard extension ladder. The ladder now comes in two duty levels: Type II 225-pound capacity and the Professional-grade Type 1A 300-pound capacity. They extend to 12.5 feet but also retract to about 30 inches, ridding homeowners and even apartment dwellers of the storage issues traditionally associated with ladders. Rather than taking up a wall in your garage or cluttering up a closet, the ladders can be retracted and easily stored on the wall of a closet, fit next to a washer or dryer, hung on the inside of a door, or placed sideways under a bed. They also open and lock by the foot, meaning you only need to open as many steps as the project warrants.

LADDER SAFETY
When using any ladder, it's important to follow these tips, courtesy of Xtend & Climb:

• Follow the manufacturer's guidelines for ladder use.

• Examine the ladder carefully, making sure it's well maintained and clean. Never step on a slippery or shaky ladder.

• Place the ladder on a firm, level surface to avoid falls or tipping.

• Don't carry equipment while climbing a ladder. Invest in a tool belt or have someone hand the equipment to you.

• Don't overextend your reach while on the ladder. Keep your body weight equally distributed on the ladder. Similarly, make sure the ladder you use is tall enough for the job at hand. Many injuries occur when a ladder that is too short is used.

• Never move a ladder while you're standing on it.

For more information, visit www.core-distribution.com

 

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