Your home is your castle. It is fortified to help keep you safe. Certain structures, such as the fire escape, will allow you to get out of your home quickly if you happen to experience an emergency. A proper fire escape gate installation will make sure your property meets current code expectations while making sure your home is safe and secure.
What Is a Fire Escape Gate and Why Do I Need One?
A fire escape gate is one of the fastest and easiest ways to ensure that your fire escape is safe. Installed on an access window, this gate is used to safeguard this entry point to your home. Most gates are accessible to open from the inside with a latch, while the lock itself is inaccessible from the outside.
This prevents someone from being able to easily enter your premises by using the fire escape. At the same time, you can quickly and easily escape through the window with a proper fire escape gate installation because there are no keys or combination locks required to open it.
Having this gate professionally installed will guarantee the craftsmanship and quality of the work. The easiest way to do this is to contact your preferred Chicago locksmith which specializes in Residential locksmith services.
After all, this gate is only as helpful as the quality of the installation. Your safety and security depends on it.
Is a Fire Escape Gate Mandatory?
According to Chicago building exit requirements, there are 81 laws which dictate how an exit must be managed. Unlike other cities in the US, there are no specific requirements that involve the use of a fire escape gate. It must comply with the requirements of the building commissioner, be adequately protected against corrosion, and must be scraped and painted once every 3 years at minimum.
There are two types of fire escape gates that are available today: expandable gates and customized gates. At Panda Locksmith, we highly recommend having a custom gate installed by our locksmiths.
Custom gates are measured to fit your specific window. Although it takes more time to create this type of fire escape gate, many homeowners find that they seem more secure than the gates which expand to fit the needs of a window.
Our locksmiths can provide you with an estimate cost and time of installation.
The Problem with Universal Fire Escape Gates
For a fire escape gate to be legal, it must not impede the egress of the exit in any way. Many universal gates tend to use a scissoring mechanism that requires a padlock to keep the gate secure from outside tampering. If there happened to be a fire in your home and that padlock was closed, would you know where your key happened to be?
That is the reason why many fire departments in Chicago and around the United States do not approve of the cheaper universal gates that are available through retail outlets.
At Panda Locksmith, we will work with you to find the best solution possible for your home. Our fire escape gate installation rates are competitive and our work is guaranteed. It would be our honor to serve you.