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More than just my C5 had a close call last week...
I have a huge attic above my garage and my air conditioner coils & furnace are also up there. I built my house 21 years ago and 16 years ago I decided I did not like to looks of my Werner "wooden" attic ladder that the builder installed, so I purchased a Werner "aluminum" metal ladder unit rated at 350-lbs to replace it and had another licensed contractor install it. All was good (or so it seemed) until last week.
It was time for my annual safety check on my air conditioner, so I had the local maintenance guys come out as usual to perform the work. They both climbed up into the attic and a minute later, I decided to follow them up. As soon as I got to the 3rd step, I heard a "crack" and the whole unit (sides and back of frame) came crashing down around me!
Fortunately, I was holding on the the steps as I climbed up. If I had been carrying something into the attic, had been one step higher or been walking down the other direction (as workmen seem to always do?) then my previous Forum post, would have probably been my last! Still shake when I think what a miracle it was to survive this - and what really is scary is that if either of those workers had started back down before I started up, one of them would be dead on my garage floor from the height they were at and they NEVER hold on to the ladder - not to mention the lawsuits that would follow!
The diagram below shows what happened - so make sure to check your attic ladder casing installation screws (or nails). As it turns out, the contractor I hired 16 years ago used the wrong screws to begin with and only 5 instead of the recommended 10! I always was worried about the ladder unit itself breaking, I never guessed it would be the frame "install"! All of the ladder units I have researched under $3,000 have single critical connectors, that if a single hinge-point fails it could be disastrous! Hard to believe that most of these things they sell in the Home Improvement store are even legal (most Made in Mexico). After this happened, I did a ton of research on the Internet and is is amazing how many people have been killed, mutilated or ended up in comas due to these death traps!
In my case, not only was it a miracle that I just got some fingers cut up, but the lowest section of the ladder (in the diagram) ended up grazing the front bumper of my C5! Fortunately I had a clear bra on the front which I was able to buff out the scrape. This incident could have been a total disaster!.
This shows one of the small 1/8" screws that broke and started the cascade as well as what I am going back with on the replacement...
NFW would I trust an installation like that with only 5 screws in it. I'd probably have 3 on each short run and 6 on each long run. Overkill maybe but that thing wouldn't come out ... ever. Having only 1 screw on the long members like that is just asking for trouble.
Glad it turned out to be minor injury...you were lucky.
I installed my attic ladder (Werner Heavy Duty with air seal) myself and followed the directions carefully.
First I doubled up all the 2x4 sections of the trusses around the perimeter of the opening and used coated screws to attach the extra bracing. Then I added a couple extra screws on all sides of the ladder framing.
"Safety is no Accident" and there is no one more interested in my safety than myself.
Let that be a lesson to you......leave those guys alone.
Only kidding of course. Glad no one was hurt. I do HVAC for a living and climb those ladders often. I like to think I'm looking out for hazards but the reality is it could happen to anyone. Thanks for pointing out a potential serious situation. Many times my hands are full and I have walked down the ladder forwards also.
I've been building and remodeling houses for almost 30 years.. I've seen these units installed with nothing more than a few shims and shot in trim nails on too many occasions to count.
Glad you’re okay and the car was very minimal. I also installed my own about 18 years ago. I went overkill on the attachment bolts also and installed a few grade 8 bolts with large area washers on both ends and lock nuts. Mine is also the wooden one but I’m more afraid of the steps falling apart then the frame work falling out. It’s also right above the Vette as well so I have to move it to use it.
Access to the attic room over my garage is by a full regular stairway which makes it easy to get heavy items up there, like wheels, trans, etc. However I do have a pull down stairway to the house attic. I already have done some rebuilding to mine since the pivot brackets were totally screwed up making it extremely difficult to lower and raise. But first thing I will do in the morning is check the mounting fasteners. You never know. I always say if you want it done right, you know who has to do it.
Wow what a freak accident. Glad you're Ok. I wonder how many other faulty attic stairs installations that licensed contractor did in addition to yours.
Whoa, That sounds scary. Glad you didn't get seriously injured.
12 ft ceiling in my garage, I installed an aluminum attic ladder a couple years ago. I used some smaller screws to secure it in position and then once I was satisfied that it was exactly where it needed I used the 3 in lag screws that came with it to finish up the install. 3 on each side if I remember correctly. But still after reading this I'm going to do a careful inspection and then maybe even add a few more screws just to be safe.
Excellent post and one of many perils awaiting in your garage. Garage doors with springs instead of torsion bars need a safety wire run through the spring. I had a spring pop years ago with $ 3k damage to the 911 below. Poorly attached shelving is another area to check.
Thanks for sharing and glad you and your C5 came out unscathed. I have a similar wooden ladder installed by the original builder. I too have started to wonder about the strength of the wooden steps and have thought about replacing it with something a little more durable. Considering I weigh 205 and I'm often carrying something in my arms that I'm storing in the attic, the weight on the steps can exceed 230 lbs.
Wow what a freak accident. Glad you're Ok. I wonder how many other faulty attic stairs installations that licensed contractor did in addition to yours.
He was the first person I called. He just chuckled when I told him the story. According to him he has installed many over the past 30 years or so and never heard of a problem. Of course, if you are dead I guess you can't complain!
When I mentioned to him that he used the wrong kind/number of screws and that 1/4" Lags were recommended by the manufacturer, he said "You don't want to use those because they will split the wood and you would have to drill pilot holes". God forbid that someone would have to take 5 minutes to drill pilot holes to save a life! If I were him, I would not be laughing about the issue - I would be going back to every install I had done over the years offering a free safety check to hopefully avoid a multi-million dollar lawsuit!
Originally Posted by MSG C5
Thanks for sharing and glad you and your C5 came out unscathed. I have a similar wooden ladder installed by the original builder. I too have started to wonder about the strength of the wooden steps and have thought about replacing it with something a little more durable. Considering I weigh 205 and I'm often carrying something in my arms that I'm storing in the attic, the weight on the steps can exceed 230 lbs.
It is just a miracle that this did not fall with the guys replacing my entire HVAC last year! There were 5 guys in the attic dismantling and carrying up all that really heavy equipment on those stairs. I don't want to think about what would have resulted!!!
Check your Attic Ladders!
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I'd probably have 3 on each short run and 6 on each long run. Overkill maybe but that thing wouldn't come out ... ever. Having only 1 screw on the long members like that is just asking for trouble.
