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Residential Fire Escape Ladders
If you are interested in Residential Fire Escape Ladders, then you have landed on the right site here at EvacuationLadders.com. Please have a look around and ask any questions in the comments section below any post.
Humans have been mapping out preventive measures and inventing devices to make our living spaces more secure and comfortable forever. Still, life is inherently uncertain, and we never know what will happen at the next moment.
Being Prepared for an Emergency
Being prepared to deal with any sudden unfortunate incident is the key to keep ourselves safe and sound. Fire is inherently extremely dangerous, with folk frequently forgetting their frailty. It takes a few seconds or minutes for an accidental and small fire to get completely out of control, leading to irreparable damage to property and often serious injury or loss of life to humans.
Many countries have some rigorous safety measures implemented in their building code, but there are also many countries where such safety planning is absent. These safety measures have included modern alarm devices, better emergency access and routes. This includes better signposting in residential buildings and commercial premises of all sizes, and often, all buildings must adhere to local building code and regulations regarding access and materials used in construction.
Despite implementing multiple safety measures and upgrading the building code and regulations, in the USA, in 2019, 481,500 building structures caught fire, resulting in 2,980 deaths. This accounted for 80% of all civilian casualties in fire perils and 84% (13,900) were civilian injuries. [Source: https://www.nfpa.org]
Traditional instructions of keeping flammable products away from fire sources, to the obvious process of installing a fire alarm and fire extinguishers, fall into the category of prevention. And all are designed to alert residents and occupants to be aware of the potential for a fire accident.
Given that the source of fires is frequently in the electrical systems of the premises or by a faulty device used by a tenant or occupier, means those tenants and residents need to be ever vigilant.
Unfortunately, the available options to escape a fire on upper floors are minimal. For larger buildings with more floors, there may be several or multiple escape routes.
Small to medium-sized residential buildings have an equal chance of fire perils and may have less dedicated and practical emergency exits if they catch fire, putting dwellers’ lives at enormous risk.
So we suggest a residential fire escape ladder as a practical, readily available, and cost-effective solution to solve this problem. Please keep reading to know more about it and what to look for in the best residential fire escape ladder.
What is a Residential Fire Escape Ladder?
EvacuationLadders.com was set up to help visitors learn about and view, the available options for Fire Escape Ladders, in one place. Here you will find multiple articles about a variety of residential fire escape ladders as well as products that may be suitable for higher buildings or commercial premises.
We do not manufacture any of the Fire Escape Ladders ourselves. Instead, we are an affiliate site that is able to showcase a range of products. Therefore we may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you, which helps to pay for the site upkeep. Our aim is to provide the information about available products, to assist with your decision-making.
Please do not purchase anything if you feel our coverage is incomplete or if you are unsure of something. I want you as the visitor, to select the best product for your circumstances, without being coerced, persuaded or pushed into a purchase that may be unsuitable.
A residential fire escape ladder is designed for an emergency exit in the event of a fire or other incident where people are located on the 2nd floor or above of a property. It is distinct from the regular fire escape routes in newly built buildings. Residential fire escape ladders come with different features, and sizes, but fundamentally, they are portable and easy and quick to deploy.
This dedicated equipment is permanently fitted or portable, and collapsible. Conventionally they have hooks that you have to place beneath or attach below a window to anchor them to the wall.
The ladder portion is made of nylon ropes, chains, hard plastic, or metallic wires. These devices are generally suitable for domestic usage, but could work in smaller commercial premises or a smaller office building.
A residential escape ladder comes in handy in an emergency in homes where there is a likelihood of an escape route blockage with limited and practical options for exit. Every new home consisting of more than 2 floors, now has a fire escape window, but to escape from there, you will generally have to wait for a fire department team to reach for a safe exit.
In such cases, the resident can use one of these “portable” emergency fire escape ladders for a faster and safer exit, and as a backup option for buildings, that may even have other escape routes and safety measures available.
Types of Fire Escape Ladders
Permanent Fire Escape Ladder
Quite evident from the name, these ladders are permanently fixed to the outside wall of the property and usually within reach of a window for a practical emergency exit. They are made from sturdy iron or possibly a lightweight aluminum (GB: aluminium) material for a safe exit in case of a fire outbreak. Often used on the residential buildings’ upper floor, these ladders can be a weak leak in terms of security in neighborhoods with higher crime, as they are designed to provide good access to the street. They are comparatively expensive and require a professional’s services to install them properly and unless attached to the rear of a building, they often don’t look visually appealing.
Portable & Collapsible Fire Escape Ladders
These types of ladders are a perfect alternative to permanent ladders and are compact and portable. These collapsible fire escape ladders are hung from a window frame and offer a secure escape if other exits aren’t available.
These can be hooked over the window sill for quick deployment, or they can be attached to the wall internally, below the window.
Some models can also easily be stored under the bed or in the cupboard, but one has to consider the time taken to get them deployed. Panic and fear could lead to errors so possibly not the best solution. They easily fit anywhere in the house or in the original box or bags they arrive in to avoid any detangling and easy accessibility in different situations.
In essence, a portable and foldable residential fire escape ladder comes with various types of hooks to secure them to the window. The primary types and features are.
C-Shaped Big Steel Hook Ladders
● Easily fixed over window sills.
● Available in multiple sizes to fit on windows of varying thickness and concrete block walls.
● Easy to assemble, and no permanent changes occur in the room.
Carabiner Hooks Fire Escape Ladders:
● Suitable for irregularly shaped walls
● Users don’t have to worry about the thickness of window/wall
● Hassle-free deployments and very useful in emergencies
Lag Bolted Fire Escape Ladders:
● In these ladders, a metal box is present that people attach to the wall under the escape window.
● Readily available and saves time during fire outbreaks.
● Robust, very dependable, and budget-friendly
