In order to be able to climb onto flat roofs, for example for repair work or similar, a retractable flat roof staircase is recommended. In terms of function, flat roof stairs can be compared to attic stairs. However, they have special metal exits that are suitable for outdoor use and insulate particularly well.
According to ÖNORM, the fire-retardant effect of materials is divided into several classes. EI230 and EI260 also belong to these fire resistance classes. The number in the designation indicates the minimum time the material can withstand a fire. For example, if a loft ladder is labelled EI260, it means that the staircase will prevent a one-sided fire from spreading further for at least 60 minutes. Fire-retardant attic stairs therefore save valuable time during rescue from a possible fire.
The ladders of many attic staircases consist of several parts that are connected to each other via hinges. To be able to use the stairs, the ladder must be folded out. This requires a certain amount of space at the front, which should be taken into account when planning an attic staircase. This additional space required is also known as fold-out space.