Whenever you have an elevated job around the house that needs to be completed, you face the decision of using a ladder or renting a couple sections of scaffolding. The ladder may be convenient, but it's not as stable as scaffolding, limits your mobility, and requires that you have someone holding the base of the ladder at all times. Even though visiting a rental center such as Savage Scaffold & Equipment Co. for some scaffolding takes a little more time than grabbing the ladder out of your garage, the time and money will be well spent. Here are some common jobs around the home for which you won't regret using scaffolding.

Replacing a Ceiling Fan

Replacing a ceiling fan in a room with a high ceiling (such as a great room) isn't technically difficult, but the process can be a challenge because you're working overhead with a fan that is heavy to hold. This job is difficult to do alone, and you can't reasonably fit two people on a ladder. A couple sections of scaffolding will make this project immeasurably easier. You and your helper can stand beside each other, and one person can hold the weight of the fan while the other hooks up the wiring and mounting bracket.

Painting the Ceiling

When you're painting a tall ceiling, you may reach for the telescoping handles that attach to your paint roller. While this strategy can work, it can be difficult to paint with a high degree of precision, and your arms and shoulders will likely get tired quickly from holding the handle and the roller high above your head. Renting some scaffolding can be the answer. You'll be positioned so close to the ceiling that you can simply use the roller for most of the walls and then use a paintbrush to do the edges of the ceiling so that you get a finished product that makes you proud.

Putting Up Holiday Lights

Mounting holiday lights to various areas of your home, whether along your gutters or on your chimney, can be a challenge on a ladder. Often, you'll be tempted to reach out to either side of the ladder to get the job done more quickly, but leaning on a ladder can be dangerous. You're better off renting some scaffolding and using it as a solid foundation for this job. The wide nature of the scaffolding means that you can mount lights over several feet at a time and then simply climb back down to the ground, drag the scaffolding to where you need it, and then climb again to continue the job.