If you live in a fairly new or remodeled home with storage space in the attic, chances are you have a folding hideaway ladder, or loft ladder, in your house. And if so, you already know how inconvenient and straining on your back and arms it can be to pull the ladder down and push it back up again, each time you need to go up into the attic.
To aid you in making the decision of whether you need to update to an electric loft ladder, think about how often you actually go into the attic. Do you make only a couple of trips per year, perhaps to retrieve and store Christmas decorations? Then your conventional ladder is probably sufficient for your needs. If your family is like most, and storage space is at a premium in your house, you may frequently need to make trips up into the attic. If this is the case with you, then you should definitely consider installing an electric loft ladder. For more information about these, you can do some initial research online or talk to a knowledgeable associate at your local home improvement center. Electric loft ladders make the strain and pain of pulling down on conventional loft ladders obsolete.
Once you decide to purchase a loft ladder, one of the first things to do is to make accurate measurements of your existing opening, and be aware of the available space around that opening. Bear in mind that the opening needed for an electric loft ladder may be larger than that of the conventional type. You will also need to measure the distance from floor to ceiling, the thickness of the ceiling system through which the ladder will extend, and make sure that your floor space will accommodate the opened ladder.
You may need to enlist the services of an electrician to assess your wiring capabilities, and make sure that you have sufficient installation components for an electric ladder. Wiring will need to be in place for one or more wall switches, as well as the wiring for the motor.
The internet is an excellent tool for comparing prices on loft ladders. Simply type in that phrase and you will be presented with multiple choices of companies who sell loft ladders.
The cost of an electric loft ladder will vary greatly beginning as low as three thousand dollars, or two thousand pounds; and going upwards of seven thousand dollars, or five thousand pounds. The cost will be determined by several factors.
You may choose a ladder made from either aluminum or wood. The wooden models will likely be more expensive, however they also add more eye appeal than aluminum. You may choose to install additional wall switches, which will increase the cost. Another option for opening is remote control. This choice will also result in added expense. One common feature on most electric ladders is an emergency stop sensor, a feature which will help to avoid accidents with children or pets. Ladders will basically include one hand rail, but may be ordered with two. Most ladders will be manufactured with hand holds at the top in the attic, for safety in getting on the ladder. Ladders will also be equipped with rubber treads on each rung to prevent slipping.
Once you have made all these decisions, you may order a loft ladder from one of many companies online. You may choose instead, to deal with a local home improvement center. One benefit of going local is that the home improvement center will likely be able to get your ladder installed for you also. If you order online, you will have the added responsibility of employing a contractor or a handyman to install your door. In addition, ordering online may cause you to incur greater shipping charges than what the local store might. Having your door installed by the home improvement center, who would likely be bonded, would mean that any issues you might experience would optimally be solved to your satisfaction. There may not be that guarantee with a local contractor.
These are all things that you will benefit from knowing ahead of time. Once you make all these decisions, and have your door installed, you will wonder why you waited so long to purchase an electric loft ladder.
Related Posts
