I am a senior and find it difficult to climb the attic with
conventional ladder .. The opening
for the attic is 28 in x 21 in . Can some one suggest a convinient pull
down attic ladder
for me . I need to go and check up the attic as the Air handler and
water heater are
located on the attic . Pl. Help .

Regards ,
Kam

"kam" wrote in message
oups.com...
I am a senior and find it difficult to climb the attic with
conventional ladder .. The opening
for the attic is 28 in x 21 in . Can some one suggest a convinient pull
down attic ladder
for me . I need to go and check up the attic as the Air handler and
water heater are
located on the attic . Pl. Help .

Regards ,
Kam


I'd suggest that you have a contractor open up the existing access panel and
install some drop-cown stairs.
They come in a variety of prices with the ease of operation and stability
generally increasing with the cost.
I bought the cheapest for my shop and they are adequate but stiff to pull
down. My buddy spent nealy
twice what I did and his operate much more smoothly. Figure on $100 for
steps and materials - the
labor will vary according to your location. Maybe a tradesman will post
more accurately for you.

Safe pull down ladders are usually larger than the opening you have. You
need to hire a carpenter, because the joists will have to be cut and new
framing must be installed. Let the carpenter buy the ladder. Do NOT go to a
place like Home Depot, Lowes, Sears, etc. and hire them to install it. All
those big places hire sub-contractors, and they only hire the lowest bidder.

"kam" wrote in message
oups.com...
I am a senior and find it difficult to climb the attic with
conventional ladder .. The opening
for the attic is 28 in x 21 in . Can some one suggest a convinient pull
down attic ladder
for me . I need to go and check up the attic as the Air handler and
water heater are
located on the attic . Pl. Help .

Regards ,
Kam

Bob wrote:
Safe pull down ladders are usually larger than the opening you have. You
need to hire a carpenter, because the joists will have to be cut and new
framing must be installed. Let the carpenter buy the ladder. Do NOT go to a
place like Home Depot, Lowes, Sears, etc. and hire them to install it. All
those big places hire sub-contractors, and they only hire the lowest bidder.

"kam" wrote in message
oups.com...
I am a senior and find it difficult to climb the attic with
conventional ladder .. The opening
for the attic is 28 in x 21 in . Can some one suggest a convinient pull
down attic ladder
for me . I need to go and check up the attic as the Air handler and
water heater are
located on the attic . Pl. Help .

Regards ,
Kam


Many thanks Bob , Any idea as to how much the safe ladder will cost
?
and what should be the size of the opening .

Regards ,
Kam

I replaced mine in my house. Luckily I didnt have to reframe anything.

I did spend a bit more and went for the Aluminum pull down ladder.

The wooden ones were cheaper but also much heavier.

So far so good, no problems!

Tom

A 'Froogle' (Google) search for prices
http://froogle.google.com/froogle?so...next&start=100
has them from $80 to $190 for a wooden one. Check the weight compared to the
price. The heavy ones will be more expensive because they have thicker wood
and stronger springs. Do not get a cheap one. I installed a cheap one in my
garage 30 years ago, and it's fallen apart and/or broken several times.
Don't frame the opening until you actually have the ladder and read the
opening size in the instructions.

"kam" wrote in message
oups.com...

Bob wrote:
Safe pull down ladders are usually larger than the opening you have. You
need to hire a carpenter, because the joists will have to be cut and new
framing must be installed. Let the carpenter buy the ladder. Do NOT go
to a
place like Home Depot, Lowes, Sears, etc. and hire them to install it.
All
those big places hire sub-contractors, and they only hire the lowest
bidder.

"kam" wrote in message
oups.com...
I am a senior and find it difficult to climb the attic with
conventional ladder .. The opening
for the attic is 28 in x 21 in . Can some one suggest a convinient
pull
down attic ladder
for me . I need to go and check up the attic as the Air handler and
water heater are
located on the attic . Pl. Help .

Regards ,
Kam


Many thanks Bob , Any idea as to how much the safe ladder will cost
?
and what should be the size of the opening .

Regards ,
Kam

Memphis Folding Stairs is the most widely distributed make in USA. Also
sold under the Brosco brand. See their website for product info:
http://www.memphisfoldingstairs.com/

They have excellent customer service and could easily help you decide
which type/model will work for you. You'll definitely need a carpenter
to make a larger opening since no pull-down stairs are made to fit what
you have now. Good luck!

On Thu, 5 Jan 2006 09:33:02 -0500, "C & E"
wrote:


"kam" wrote in message
roups.com...
I am a senior and find it difficult to climb the attic with
conventional ladder .. The opening
for the attic is 28 in x 21 in . Can some one suggest a convinient pull
down attic ladder
for me . I need to go and check up the attic as the Air handler and
water heater are
located on the attic . Pl. Help .

Regards ,
Kam


I'd suggest that you have a contractor open up the existing access panel and
install some drop-cown stairs.
They come in a variety of prices with the ease of operation and stability
generally increasing with the cost.
I bought the cheapest for my shop and they are adequate but stiff to pull
down. My buddy spent nealy
twice what I did and his operate much more smoothly. Figure on $100 for
steps and materials - the

Was that the one for you, or the better one for your friend?

Although sometimes the joists will have to be cut, if one turns the
latter 90 degrees, probably not. In the case of my house the upstairs
hall parallels the joists.

Some framing and trim would still be needed.

I myself would sort of like a ladder, but I don't want to lose so
much floor space in the attic, or have the ladder in the middle of the
space up there. OTOH, when I was my fattest, I had to squeeze to get
my flab through the hatch I have now, and once I knocked over the
ladder while I was up there, and had to jump down avoiding the shelf
and the clothes rod and all the junk I had left on the floor. This
might not scare most people but I've broken each of my legs in 10 foot
jumps or falls, and 8 feet seemed pretty close to that. I did land on
something, but the damage to it was little and my legs were fine.

For this reason I put a phone line in the attic, and try to remember
to unlock my door before I go up there.

labor will vary according to your location. Maybe a tradesman will post
more accurately for you.



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