Loft ladder becoming hard to pull/push

Clairabella

I've just moved into a new house which has a boarded loft with a two section aluminium loft ladder. The ladder is hard to move and, after a few pull ups and down is becoming progressively stiffer to move. There are two springs, not stretched, just coiled tight where it is screwed into the roof joist.

Any suggestions? Do you have to oil/WD40 them? If so, where? Down the runner thing?

kerri_gt

Clairabella wrote: »

I've just moved into a new house which has a boarded loft with a two section aluminium loft ladder. The ladder is hard to move and, after a few pull ups and down is becoming progressively stiffer to move. There are two springs, not stretched, just coiled tight where it is screwed into the roof joist.

Any suggestions? Do you have to oil/WD40 them? If so, where? Down the runner thing?

Try a little wd40 where the ladder runs, it might ease it a little. Is there anything stuck in the runners like a bit of packing or insulation?

It might be the change in weather causing the sections to expand perhaps, are you definitely sliding the ladder completely straight when putting it away?

SailorSam

Could it be you're getting older.

Clairabella

kerri_gt wrote: »

Try a little wd40 where the ladder runs, it might ease it a little. Is there anything stuck in the runners like a bit of packing or insulation?

It might be the change in weather causing the sections to expand perhaps, are you definitely sliding the ladder completely straight when putting it away?

Thanks, I couldn't see anything and I'm sure I was pulling straight as I had to get another pair of ladders in front of the hatch so I could pull hard enough. I'll get some WD40 tomorrow and see how that goes. Thanks for your help.

Clairabella

SailorSam wrote: »

Could it be you're getting older.

Yep, that too. But I'm not aging so fast to make such a difference over a couple of days!