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The number of fires each year in New York City measures in the thousands, and for many people, fire escapes are their lifeline. These exterior staircases require regular maintenance to comply with NYC Administrative Code § 27-2014.
Fire escape stairs and landings must be kept clear of everything, including clothes, blankets, coolers, boxes, whatever. Required maintenance includes being painted every 5 years or when it is apparent there is rust, corrosion, flaking or peeling. The fire escape must have all paint debris scraped and removed before being repainted with two coats of contrasting paint.
All moving parts of fire escapes must also be well-maintained and kept in working order. This includes the drop ladder and stair ladders that extend to the ground.
Paintworks has the expertise and experience to get the job done well in compliance with city regulations, including approved colors. Our professional process runs through these tasks:
- Install plastic protection over all windows and air conditioners
- Create an enclosed space where particulates cannot escape into open air
- Use angle grinders to remove all flaking paint and rust chips
- Collect and bag debris for disposal off site
- Apply a coat of rust primer on bare metal
- Apply two coats of exterior finish paint in acceptable colors
Call us first to inspect a fire escape, and trust us to reveal its condition and remedy if there are any issues. We have done this many times across many years, and it’s our privilege to preserve the condition of these iconic exterior escape systems to the city’s administrative code.
An ACT SMART blog from Paintworks & Decorating
