Where Should Wheelchair Ramps be Stored?

In this day and age, advertising that you are a handicapped individual may be placing you at risk of having your home burgled or robbed. Storing a wheelchair ramp in front of your house is not a good idea. Following are two good locations where you can store your ramp.

Garage

Storing your ramp in the garage can be a very good idea, especially if the garage has direct level access to the house. This will protect the ramp from rain, snow and other elements that would make it wear out faster than it would have otherwise. Another advantage to setting up the ramp in the garage is that it will not need as much maintenance as a ramp that is stored in front of the house.

On the other hand, installing a garage wheelchair ramp can be tricky. There are certain regulations and rules governing how much slope the ramp should have. You may need to either extend your garage or forgo a parking space in a two car garage in order to install a wheelchair ramp properly.

If you cannot extend your garage or forgo a parking space, then you may want to purchase one of the many wheelchair lifts that can be found for sale online and at specialized brick and mortar outlets. A lift will take up less room than a ramp and will not necessarily need an entire parking space in order to be properly and safely installed.

Back Door Ramp

If your garage is not attached directly to the house, then installing a back door ramp may be a good idea. Such a ramp will not be visible from the street. A back porch door is ideal; if such a door does not exist it is very possible to have one built.

You may very well need to create a connecting sidewalk from the back door to the car. While this is an extra expense, it is one that is well worth it. it will not only protect the house from burglary but also give one more usable space outside of the house.

When having a wheelchair ramp put in, make sure that a drainage area is provided so that water does not collect under and around the ramp. In many instances, rain water from the roof will collect on the ramp. This will make the ramp slippery and dangerous to use.

You will probably also need good outdoor lighting along the walkway that is connected with the outdoor ra. Many have found that motion detector lights are the best option, as they will only turn on when a person needs them to be on.

Disguising a Front Door Ramp

If the above mentioned options are not feasible, then one may want to construct a “disguised ramp” outside his or her home. Such a ramp can be made to blend in with the surroundings and can in fact be an aesthetic addition to the home’s exterior decor.