Fire escapes are an architectural representation of the unique and classic beauty of New York City. Most high-rise old buildings have fire escapes because once they were a mandatory feature of the building fire safety standards. Though fire escapes are generally not very popular these days, they require regular inspections, repair, and maintenance.
Some fire escapes may look beyond reparable, but the good news is replacement is not always necessary. Fire escape refurbishment can fix most damages, including corrosion, peeling paint, loose joints, missing treads, sharp edges, etc. But obviously, you will need professional assistance! Refurbishing a fire escape is a precarious project, and it may go utterly wrong without proper skills, tools, and techniques. So, an expert is your best alternative.
How do you refurbish a fire escape? If you are seeking an answer to this, we have it right here for you! What are we waiting for? Let’s begin!
Fire Escape Refurbishment: The Process
A functional and accessible fire escape is always good to have around. Who knows when you may need it! So, no matter how rarely you use it, keep it safe and efficient through proper maintenance. To say so, let’s understand how to refurbish or restore a fire escape.
- Inspection- Whenever you call a fire escapes refurbishment company, they will first inspect the structure thoroughly to assess the damage extent and severity. Several tests are performed to evaluate the strength, stability, and capacity of the fire escape. It will provide a detailed understanding of the underlying problems for effective, long-lasting solutions.
- Repairs- For fire escapes with missing guardrails, treads, bolts, loose joints, sharp edges or angles, and insecure external connections, extensive repairs will be performed. Most of it includes straightforward processes like welding, tightening, and reinforcing. These repairs are necessary to promote strength and stability and ensure the fire escape is safe to bear heavy foot traffic.
- Scraping- After everything has been fixed, your contractor will rigorously scrape the surfaces to remove old paint and rust. Corrosion or rust is the primary cause of extensive fire escape damage. Thus, removing rust is mandatory during fire escape refurbishment to restrict its advancement.
- Cleaning- Once the surface is scraped, it is thoroughly cleaned with water and detergent for a smooth, debris-free surface. The flawless the surface, the better the paint adhesion.
- Priming- Before applying paint, you must coat the surfaces with rust-inhibiting primer. It promotes additional protection against rust. The primer is designed to prevent and stop corrosion of metals.
- Painting- Finally, when the primer dries up, it’s time for painting! Enamel-based paint is preferred for fire escapes because it forms a waterproof coating and is weather-resistant. The paint restricts water seepage while preventing the metal surfaces from corrosion. Now you have a refurbished fire escape!
Conclusion
Fire escape refurbishment cost may range from hundreds to several thousand dollars. It substantially depends on the number of repairs and labor needed. Also, the cost varies from contractor to contractor. Get multiple quotations before fixing a deal.
[…] Fire escapes are an architectural representation of the unique and classic beauty of New York City. Most high-rise old buildings have fire escapes because once they were a mandatory feature of the building fire safety standards. Though fire escapes are generally not very popular these days, they require regular inspections, repair, and maintenance. […]