What You Need To Know About Fire Escape Ladders

By Author: Ron Grosso
Total Articles: 3698
Comment this article

When it comes to choosing fire escape ladders for your home the most important feature you need to consider is the length. You also want to be sure the ladder has standoffs. A standoff is the protrusion on the fire escape ladder that holds the rungs away from the house. These standoffs will help to steady the ladder and provide you with enough room to get a secure toe and hand hold. The more standoffs your fire escape ladder has, the better off you will be.

There are two standard lengths when it comes to fire escape ladders for your home: fifteen and twenty five feet. For most two story homes the shorter length is fine while you will want to get the longer size if you have a bedroom on a third floor. Make sure that whatever fire escape ladder you choose, it is one that is easy to be deployed by the person who will be using it. Always consider the individual using the ladder when choosing the right one for your home. While most ladders can support at least a thousand pounds you still want to check the load limit before purchasing a fire escape ladder.

You can also choose to install a permanent fire escape system ...
... in your home. These are attached to or built into your house. The PEARL ladder is a popular model and can be found at Resculite online. These fire escape ladders are a lot more stable than the portable variety but they are also considerably more expensive.

Portable fire escape ladders work similar to a boat ladder. They are typically made from aluminum or heavy plastic chain with rigid bars that act as the rungs of the ladder. The ladder stays folded up in a box that stays in your bedroom. When you need to use the ladder you simple hook the top portion of the ladder to the window sill and drop the rest out the window. It is important that the hook fit over your window sill. These hooks are usually ten inches for a standard wall, however, older buildings and brownstones can have thicker walls. These are portable models made to fit these or you can purchase a permanent ladder