Do you guys have escape ladders?

[summer]

I've been back and forth about buying a fire escape ladder since we have 2 story place.

Who has one? Have you practiced on it? Any suggestions on which to buy?

[Deleted]

I would get one if we had a 3 story house, but not a 2nd story... probably faulty logic but 2nd floor isn't that big of a jump.

[basilosaurus]

No. maybe I should. We're on the 11th floor. Honestly I never thought about it

[sparrowsong]

It's on my list of stuff to buy. But it got kind of confusing trying to figure out which one I need based on the kind of windowsill and thickness of the walls, plus there is this small eave just under the window...etc. So I did not complete the research and order anything. There is no other way out of my third floor bedroom though, so I really should get something.

[decemberwedding07]

Jun 24, 2012 8:41:46 GMT -5 asdfjkl said:

Oh my gosh, I am so glad you posted this. We live in two story condo right now but the first story is below grade so we don't have a fire escape ladder. However, all of the houses we're looking at to move to are two stories and one of them we are thinking about building out the huge attic to make it two beds and a bath for both the kids. So this is totally on my mind right now. I want to get the escape ladders for the kids when we move, but I'm also thinking that if we bought a house with attic bedrooms I would install a sprinkler system. I was doing some research online and it's a lot more affordable than you would think. About $.30 - $3.60 per square foot of sprinkled area. Point being, that I will just be watching this thread because I think the issue will be pretty relevant to us in the next few months here.

I have always wondered... I know that insurance companies give a discount on your homeowner's policy if you have sprinklers, but what happens on their end if there's a fire and they go off? Do they pay for the replacement of all the ruined items and for the cleanup and replacement of electronics and carpet, wood flooring and drywall where needed, because the damage WAS actually fire-related, or do they pull some sort of insurance company bullshit and refuse to pay? Obviously, I'd rather have all my stuff ruined by water with my family and pets safe and alive, than have my house burn down and have someone injured or killed. I am definitely pro-sprinkler. I've just been curious. Have you looked into that?

[decemberwedding07]

Can I also just say that fires are the thing that make looking at houses the hardest? I refuse to buy a house that has the master downstairs and the rest of the bedrooms upstairs. No way am I going to feel comfortable with a child sleeping on the second story of a house while I'm downstairs until said child is old enough to use an escape ladder alone. Maybe even then I'd be scared they wouldn't wake up and I still wouldn't feel comfortable with it, but I'd sure feel a little better. I cannot tell you how many homes we've looked at with the master downstairs and the other bedrooms upstairs. Drives me crazy!

[summer]

It's been on my mind also, and I also haven't bought one just because I don't know which to choose.

Our 2nd story is waaay to high to jump down. No way that would end well.

The one I looked at, by Kidde I think, was apparently a one-time use one so you couldn't practice on it. I have to look at your link, sbp. I would definitely want to be able to do a test run on it.

Glad I'm not the only one interested. It's definitely one of the things people sideeye me on when I mention it. Like "there she goes being a weird control freak again".

[summer]

Jun 24, 2012 9:39:53 GMT -5 decemberwedding07 said:

Can I also just say that fires are the thing that make looking at houses the hardest? I refuse to buy a house that has the master downstairs and the rest of the bedrooms upstairs. No way am I going to feel comfortable with a child sleeping on the second story of a house while I'm downstairs until said child is old enough to use an escape ladder alone. Maybe even then I'd be scared they wouldn't wake up and I still wouldn't feel comfortable with it, but I'd sure feel a little better. I cannot tell you how many homes we've looked at with the master downstairs and the other bedrooms upstairs. Drives me crazy!

People suggested that floorplan a lot when we were renovating. We also built out our basement and they suggested master bedroom on 2nd floor and kid/s in basement.

The fuck? That shit cray. Of course I'm sleeping on the same floor as my kid, and not even thinking about 2 floors away!

[shadow]

When were looking at houses, there was this crazy house w/ the master on the first (top) floor and the kids rooms all the way on the other side on the ground level, w/ a bar/kitchen area and a walk out to a pool. wtf.

To answer the OP, we have one. It might be a one time use thing, so it's by the window still in the box. Thanks for the reminder. We still need to do a fire plan/set up a meeting place.

[OuchOuchMyCrouch]

We have one, we bought it from cosco on a whim. When we got home I put it in the upstairs closet and didn't think about it again. I am thankful for this thread reminding me to check it out.

[KateAggie]

We have one. All of our 2 story windows are above hard surfaces--no grass. I've had it forever, no idea of brand, style, etc. I'm super paranoid...we had a fire in our duplex in college, and the speed that it spread was unbelievable.

As far as insurance, you should be covered unless you house floods from a natural disaster. Busted pipe, leaky sink or fridge dispenser, etc. are all covered (I know from experience, unfortunately!! )

[lyssbobiss, Command, B613]

I have one. My brother-in-law is a firefighter and gave me one when I moved out. Plus, I have fucking awful luck in apartments. Two previous apartments I've lived in have caught on fire (through no fault of my own; it was always started by the tenant below me).

[statlerwaldorf]

I don't have any, but I probably should get some for the 2nd story.

[Deleted]

SBP - can I caution you about sprinklers?
We have friends who had one installed. It malfunctioned while they were out of the house and flooded their ENTIRE house. Ruined EVERYTHING, including the house essentially.

they spent months having things repaired and replaced, and insurance didn't cover every.little.thing.

[karinothing]

We don't, but I hear they only go up to the 2nd story. We are on the 5th. We also have sprinklers and two staircases (we live in an apt though). The sprinklers reduce my fire anxiety but in the apt down the hall from us the movers accidentally knocked one of them and it flooded the entire apts, the hallway and the 4 apts beneath. it was a mess. Also, we have like 4 in each room. Sometimes I get paranoid that they will randomly go off and they will drown the poor baby in his crib (but I assume he would start crying before this happens??).

[GailGoldie]

funny you ask... we got one at a yard sale a couple years ago and JUST pulled it out of the GARAGE (did a lot of good in there, huh?) to put upstairs. I'm glad we have it - the "just in case" even though we are on a 2nd floor only... makes me feel good that we could all get out without help from anyone, and without having to jump, if help didn't get there in time (which is unlikely since the fire station is about 1 mile from our house... but still, lol)

[marynjoe]

I'm into safety. We have fire extinguishers, change the smoke detector batteries, and would have ladders if we were in a two story home. So yes, I'd get a few. And I'd practice using them a few times a year. We've already agreed what our meeting place is across the street if our home is on fire, where to shelter in case of tornado, we have an emergency kit, you name it.