How to Climb Down a Roof

A major injury or even death can occur by falling off of a roof. The most dangerous part about being on a roof is climbing down off the roof. This is the point where you are transferring from the roof to the ladder. If the wrong approach is used, you could fall off the ladder or the roof and seriously injure yourself. Much of the procedure for climbing off a roof is common knowledge to the experienced, but may not be known to the novice.

Instructions

1. Use an extension ladder whenever you climb up on a roof. It is much safer to climb down a roof by way of an extension ladder than it is by way of a stepladder. Set the extension ladder 1 foot away from the house for every 4 feet in height.

2. Walk carefully to the ladder at the edge of the roof and stop. Many people are injured by trying to mount the ladder as they are walking.

3. Check the stability of the ladder to ensure it has not shifted. Stand in back of the ladder and press down on the top of both rails with both hands to ensure the ladder is firmly planted on the ground.

4. Step to the side of the ladder and hold onto the top of both rails with your hands.

5. Step onto the first rung under the roof line with your foot that is closest to the edge of the roof. Keep your other foot firmly planted on the roof. Once your first foot is solidly and safely on the rung of the ladder, place your other foot onto the ladder rung.

6. Climb down the ladder by lowering one foot at a time, one rung at a time. Keep both hands on the rails of the ladder at all times.