Every home owner who has an attic has to come up with a safe way to access it. That said, different attics and different people also have different needs. Some people, for example, will need heavy duty aluminum ladders to ascend their attic, whereas others want permanently fixed wooden ones, to name but two examples. If those who live in the household are heavier, then they must find a ladder that is sturdy enough to carry that weight. If people access the attic very regularly, a heavy duty model will also be required.
How to Choose a Ladder
Whichever ladder you choose, you have to make sure that it comes with a label explaining how much weight it can support. Usually, a standard ladder is quite efficient, but as our nation is getting heavier, they may not be able to carry you anymore. Using a ladder that is not able to carry the weight of the user (plus whatever they are carrying) can be incredibly dangerous. It could lead to the ladder collapsing, causing potentially serious injuries to whoever was using it.
There are homes where people use the attic as a functional room. While it is still more common for these spaces to be used for storage, but some people prefer to use the space for game rooms, living rooms, bedrooms, and so on. In this case, it means that the attic will also be accessed far more regularly, and it is important to purchase a ladder that is able to handle that. This is because regular wear and tear also has to be a consideration when purchasing a ladder. A certain ladder may be suitable to hold your weight, but if you ascend and descend several times per day, it will start to lose some of its integrity eventually.
However, if you don’t frequently use your attic, there is yet another reason that may make you want to consider a heavy duty ladder over anything else. As made clear, they can carry more weight and they last longer. On top of that, however, they are generally more affordable, not just over their lifespan, but in store as well. Heavy duty ladders are made from aluminum, which is a lightweight, extremely durable, and abundantly available metal, which means that manufacturers have put very affordable price tags on it.
When you want to choose the ladder that is most suitable for your attic, you have to make a few considerations, as you can see. It is all too easy to look only at price, but that is not the right line of thinking in this case. Your safety is of the greatest importance in this case, and the safety of anyone else who will need to have access to the attic. A heavy duty aluminum ladder is more than likely to be the best option out there, even if a wooden ladder, or less strong construction, will also serve you. It is better to be safe than sorry. You can go to a brass foundry if there are objects you want to create through metal casting.
