Philadelphia Weekly

REAL ESTATE

5 keys to escaping a house fire

Find out which items are must-haves for upper-floor bedrooms

By Inman News Feed

Add Comment | Comments: 0 | Posted Feb. 25, 2011

The Warner escape ladder is very easy to install, and comes with a clear and well-illustrated instruction booklet. It's basically a matter of cutting hole in the drywall between two studs -- the can is designed for mounting between studs on 16-inch centers -- and bolting the can in place. The escape ladder folds up and stores in the can, and a wood door, which can be painted or wallpapered to match the room, covers the can.

One distinct advantage to the Werner ladder, in addition to always being where you can find it, is that it's reusable. This allows each family member the opportunity to practice opening, deploying and climbing down the ladder. The can also can be used as a step to help you get out of the window, and there's a built-in assist strap, which gives you something to hang onto when you first start the climb.

Where to find what you need
Escape ladders, both permanent and single-use, are available at many home centers, hardware stores and online retailers such as Amazon. Smoke detectors and batteries are available from any home center, hardware store, department store and other retailers, as well as online.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com. All product reviews are based on the author's actual testing of free review samples provided by the manufacturers.