What Should I Do to Keep My Fire Escape in Working Condition?

Undeniably, fire escapes are a fundamental structure in any high-rise building in New York. It not only promotes architectural value but accentuates a building’s fire safety standards. Essentially, fire escapes are installed to enable safe evacuation during emergencies like fire outbreaks, earthquakes, etc. During such crises, using elevators and escalators is dangerous due to the high risk of short circuits.

Nonetheless, though a safety component, most property owners do not maintain these structures. As a result, fire escapes are often inaccessible, non-operational, and structurally deteriorated. A rusted, crooked, and wobbly fire escape is easy to spot anytime! Perhaps you may be having one in your building, too!

Now, the common question is- what should you do to ensure your fire escape is operational? As a property owner, you are responsible for ensuring your fire escape is functional. Apart from fire escape repair NYC, you have lots of other things to keep in mind.

Do you want to learn about them? Continue reading.

Fire Escape Maintenance Tips

To retain the aesthetic value and functionality of these intricately crafted metal structures, all you need is regular maintenance. Since fire escapes are made of metal, they are prone to corrosion. So, rust, flaking, crumbling, and loosening of these structures are commonplace.

However, we have discussed the best practices to keep your fire escape structurally sound and operational. Let’s check them out:

• Inspection- Conducting a professional inspection is mandatory to determine the condition of your fire escape. A licensed inspector will rigorously examine the structure to determine flaws and damages. It is the primary step for fire escape restoration. You will receive a detailed report based on the findings. You might need repair or replacement of your fire escape system depending upon the damage severity.
• Structural Repair- The railings, hardware, steps, and support beam decay over time. Loose bolts and joints are common in old fire escapes. Also, in brick wall fire escapes, the mortar becomes damaged, resulting in the crumbling and disintegrating of the joints. So, you have an unstable and highly unsafe structure beyond usable. It is necessary to replace mortar wherever needed to enhance structural stability. Tighten the bolts and weld the joints to ensure you do not have a rickety arrangement. The cause of fire escape is known to everyone. However, if it is non-functional, there is no point having it!
• Scraping and Painting- When you are done with structural repairs, it’s time to get rid of rust, flaking, and peeling paint. So, scrape the metal surface thoroughly with a wire brush. Once you have a clean surface, power wash your fire escape and let it dry. Apply primer to protect the metal surface from corrosion. Once it cures, put a coat of enamel-based paint. It will promote aesthetic value while prolonging the life of the structure.

To conclude, always consider fire escape repair NYC, but never remove the structure. It is there for a reason, and you may end up violating the building safety code which is an offensive act.