Getting on t'roof! (1 Viewer)

[Alfa_Scud]

Right, just bear with me if you will.

I'm frightened to death of heights, getting up a ladder instinctively makes me poo my pants, however, the birds have beaten me to it and poo'd all over the roof of the van, as is usually the case at this time of year so it's time for a clean.

Now I normally get some mug, erm, friend, to go up there & clean it for me, but I think I'll go & have a go myself, but I don't really want to go from a ladder onto the roof & vice versa.

So my question is, can I go out of the rooflight onto the roof? How careful do I need to be when getting out e.g the rooflight surround etc, & where exactly can I stand, I'm presuming no further forward then the cab line & not near the sides, like I would anyway .

I've got an extending brush so in theory can clean the roof from a ladder on the side, but with the amount of crud up there, I'd like to have a proper do at it - I think

Cheers

 

[rainbow chasers]

If it makes you feel more secure, why not lean a house ladder against you motorhome ladder, tie it on with a bit of rope or similar, and that will give you a shallower angle.

Whatever you do, don't go robbing mattresses of evryones bed and lay them on the floor - the missus will kill you!

 

[Alfa_Scud]

Ah that's the thing I haven't got a motorhome ladder, so it would be straight from house ladder to roof. That's what makes it even worse, cos I have bad thoughts about ladder collapsing etc, god I'm soft!

I think you may have something with the mattresses though, I may go skip dwelling, there's always a mattress in a skip

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[ips]

I wouldnt be keen on getting on the roof in the manner you describe and unless your MH is one of those big posh jobbies with a ladder for that purpose I wouldnt think it would be made for northern lads to go stomping about up there.
Either get a mug ...... I meen mate ... to do it or as stated in previous reply tie your ladder to summat so you dont feel so scared.
I thought us northeners were sposed to be hard

 

[vwalan]

hi, can you find a split level parking area .then when its quiet stand on top level and use your brush.
must be somewhere near by. park one way then turn it round do other side.
friends garden higherthan road or something.
cheer alan.

 

[pappajohn]

if you go out through the roof light then try to reach as far as possible from the edges of the window frame as your first point of contact with the roof.

like any structure the weakest point is a hole, or the edges of.

DO NOT venture onto the overcab bulge....its only thin ABS and will collapse under your weight.

it sounds like you wont be going too close to the edge but they should be strong enough to take your weight.

again, keep your feet AT LEAST A FOOT FROM ANY ROOF VENTS AND WINDOWS.

Getting on the roof shouldnt be real problem but read Link Removed for my personal experience.
should make you smile and put you at ease. :thumb:

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[pappajohn]

please be assured a ladder, unless its very old or damaged, will not collapse if set at the proper angle.
the bottom should be 1ft out for every 4ft up.

when you place the ladder try to have 3 or 4ft sticking ABOVE the roof so you have something to hold on to as you climb off it.
trying to climb over the top of a ladder flush with the roof is asking for trouble.

if you tie the ladder to the roof rails etc as you climb you will only be around 3 or 4ft up at most as you tie it.

dont forget to put some rags etc around the ladder to protect the van....all too easy to scratch the sides.:Sad:

 

[Alfa_Scud]

Ips - I am an 'ard Northerner me, just not on a ladder!

Alan, that was another thought I had, but trying to think of somewhere that's high enough

John, cheers for the link, made me laugh to myself, not sure whether I feel better about it or not now though! Good advice though ta

 

[Dodgey]

Personnall, sutable step ladder and do it with the long brush without getting on the roof.

Both vans so far have been RVs so going on the roof not an issue, ladder on back etc, but I'm not good with heights, got on the roof of the first van no problem, 10 minutes before I convinced my leg over the back to get back down. No problem now, I'm used to it though confidence is a dangerous thing.

Much ammusment when I was young, 4 or 5 rungs up a step ladder in the middle of an office, and I, err, forgot, just turned and walked away. I could feel myself doing the cartoon quick turn and run in mid air to no avail bit


Another thing, if you follow above lean ladder against van with 3-4 ft sticking above, be carfull not to put to much weight on the bit above the van, else the van becomes a pivot and chances are you be alright but the ladder will spring out and fall and well, I'm guessing which story PJ told

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[ips]

I did mine last night on a rickety old alluminium step ladder with an extendable brush connected to a hose. It wobbled on the uneven ground a bit but hey ho.

 

[pappajohn]

I did mine last night on a rickety old alluminium step ladder with an extendable brush connected to a hose. It wobbled on the uneven ground a bit but hey ho.

have you not heard of health and safety regs

gonna report you to someone !

 

[ips]

I did a risk assesment 1st................but then totaly disregarded it

Recently had to do an induction course for a major client of ours (very big works site)
they informed us that any ladders had to be "footed" as in another bloke had to have his or her foot on the bottom of the ladder.... I didnt do that either

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[GJH]

Using a 10 foot stepladder and moving it round the van I've found I can reach all parts of the roof, mainly from the sides, by standing on the platform and leaning over. The stepladder is perfectly stable.

Another possibility is Link Removed Multi Purpose Ladder mentioned by Chris (FreelanderUK) on a thread yesterday - thread entitled something like "Won't be doing that again in a hurry".

Graham

 

[pappajohn]

I did a risk assesment 1st................but then totaly disregarded it

Recently had to do an induction course for a major client of ours (very big works site)
they informed us that any ladders had to be "footed" as in another bloke had to have his or her foot on the bottom of the ladder.... I didnt do that either

GOOD ON YER !!!!

spit in their eye and use common sense....its been around and served well for many years without much problem.:thumb:

 

[freelanderuk]

i would recommend the multi -purpose ladder , when set up as a high platform its 4foot of the ground and a tad over 7foot long and easy takes my weight at just a bit over 21stone

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[JeanLuc]

I have one of those multi-purpose ladders that converts into a long platform. It works fine, but is a little bit on the low side to enable me to reach across the roof with an extending brush, so I made a couple of substantial wooden platforms for each end to sit on. That raises it another nine inches.
Of course, when it comes to giving the whole van a coat of wax, there is no option but to get up there and rub! Just beware of one potential problem. My drive is on a slight slope and I once made the mistake of polishing the "downhill" part of the roof before the "uphill" area. Then when I sat on the polished bit to do the rest, I began sliding inexorably towards the "precipice". Almost changed the colour of the roof to a dubious camouflage shade that time!

Philip

 

[Chris]

Personally I would wait a while.

Do cub scouts still do "bob a job"?............:thumb:

 

[tick59]

Ther's only one way to clean a roof on a Motorhome.
SEND YOUR MISSES UP WITH A MOP AND BUCKET SHE IS A LOT LIGHTER THAN YOU AND YOU CAN STAND BELOW WITH A BOTTLE OF BROON AND SUPERVISE?????

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Dodgey]

Ther's only one way to clean a roof on a Motorhome.
SEND YOUR MISSES UP WITH A MOP AND BUCKET SHE IS A LOT LIGHTER THAN YOU AND YOU CAN STAND BELOW WITH A BOTTLE OF BROON AND SUPERVISE?????

Our vans on the drive for a clean and prep ready for Thursday next (WHHHOOOOPPPPEEEEE:thumb, Missus is down stairs watching telly, and is not respnding to prompts about exactly that, get on the roof and cleanoh:

I've got another hour of w2k so guess where I'm going, in an hour:Angry:

If she'd got up there I could do the sides as she finishes, still not a fair division of labour but at least it would speed things up

 

[6pm Cowboy]

The trick is to build up to it in small stages..... So tie the ladder to something and climb up slowly till you can see over the roof but still not far from ground. Take a cup of tea up there and just stand on the ladder, leaning against the van and sip your tea for ten minutes, people will think you are just looking for faults etc.

Then perhaps just sit on the edge with hand still holding the ladder ( cup of tea in other hand ) and look as if you are just having a break and admiring the view.

Then scoot backwards and sit in middle of roof for a while ( another cup of tea )

then crawl around on your knees having a good look at the dirt.


Then reverse actions, climb down, go to the loo ( all that tea ) and do it again with your other half handing up a bucket and sponge etc.

I would like to say it gets easier with practice but if you are like me you will never feel totally comfortable up high.

 

[imprint]

Seriously, why bother?

You don't like to go up there, nor does the better half, so just pretend the poo fairy has already cleaned it for you. She probably has...

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Munchie]

Like you I am also petrified of heights, I get vertigo if I stand too near a kerb.

As has been said I use a step ladder and an extending brush. :thumb:

Polish? Wot the roof? B****r that, who sees it?

Those that polish the roof I suppose will be the same ones that shower at the shows. As I think it was Papa that once said "why can't you stink like the rest of us"

 

[Movin' on]

Personally I would wait a while.

Do cub scouts still do "bob a job"?............:thumb:

Don't let the boy scouts near it! It's a well known fact, that if they brush together they will ignite and then you really will have a problem.

 

[Big Momma]

Go and invest in one of those multi folding ladders, the sort where the two ends fold down and act as legs and you can put a plank on the centre piece and stand on it with your extendable brush, enough hot water with 'Fenwicks' Motorhome Shampoo will move the crud and leave a wax layer. :thumb:

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[ips]

Slightly off topic but i just finished 3hrs of polishing top to bottom and everything in between with auto glym did the roof and washed van on thurs, looks better than new. Just waiting for mrs ips to finish work then were off till mon eve.

 

[Alfa_Scud]

Well, it's Monday morning & I'm still alive!

Managed to do the roof - pointless exercise cos it looks like the sh*tehawks, have recalibrated their bomb sights & are at it again!

However, I eventually did the roof two ways using two step ladders - put one set inside and stood with my head up through the Heiki, meaning I could cover most of the roof, the remainder I got by being brave & going round the edges from a step ladder outside.

So now, one clean van, apart from all the new crap :Angry: