Tree Climbing rope as a safety rope? ArborPlex? Forestry Pro? YaleCordage XTC?

[CJ-8_Jim]

I'm a just a homeowner that wants to work on his 2-3 story roof safely. (e.g., sweeping my chimney, fixing flashing, installing roof vents, etc.)

What line to use while walking the roof: Rockclimbing? Tree Climbing? Static or Dynamic?

At any point in time, I'll be using 50'-80' of rope where the rope is:
1) tied into a shackle on a truck,
2) then ran up the side of the house opposite the side of the roof I'm walking/repairing.
3) Then using a locking carabiner in a harness with a tied-off munter hitch that I re-adjust and tie-off as I'm on different parts of the roof.


Seems like tree climbing rope with it's minimal elongation would be sufficient since that rope would only have around 6' of slack at any point in time.

But even tree climbing ropes have vastly different elongation ratings.

The ropes I'm looking at at the local arborists supply shop are:
- Yale Cordage XTC Fire (very much a static rope)
- Forestry Pro Bull Rope 12-Strand Braided Polyester (no specs on elongation)
- ArborPlex. (According to the Sampson website specs, a much more dynamic rope)

Anyone fall 6' using one of these?

If you fell 6', would you feel OK with 2'-3' elongation? (what the XTC fire would give me?)
Thanks,
Jim

 

[oscar4883]

None of those ropes are designed to take falls onto. You won't notice much stretch if any in those ropes. For work positioning like you intend to use them for I would get whatever is cheapest. Tree rope, or a true static line, would be ok IMO. When we do storm damage work we just use are regular tree rope as a work positioning line and it generally has a little body weight on it.