When you have potential customers come in, the first thing they normally see is the outside of you business. From the name on the building to the structure of it all, the first impression goes a long way for bringing in new customers for you company. However, after they park one more important thing should be in the best condition, your stairs. Now it may sound silly but after all, if those aren’t safe or presentable, it could rub people the wrong way and turn them away from your business.
A Step in the Right Direction
Now you may think once you have the steps in place that you are set. If you think that then unfortunately you are wrong. A ton of different things could happen to them over the years and it’s imperative you notice when it may be time to replace or repair them.
- One obvious sign your stairs may need to be replaced is if they creak when you step on them. A set of wooden stairs making that noise could indicate the wood or whatever material has been worn out and could potentially break if too much pressure or weight is applied to them
- Another sign if the steps appear to be loose. By this we mean if when u step on a marble or step made out of a stone material and it wobbles to a corner. If that happens time should not be wasted and you should put a plan in for new steps immediately as this could become a hazard to customers and coworkers.
- A very obvious sign of needed maintenance can be see before even stepping on the stairs. When standing in front of them look to see if any of the steps begin to bow, or dip in the middle. If so a simple replacing of the step can help eliminate that problem.
- Also, when approaching the steps, take a look around them at the foundation they are on. If that has cracks or seems to be off center, it could grow in to a bigger problem for not only for your stairs, but your business also. It’s a bigger process than just the stairs but being proactive with it will save you in the long run.
- While inspecting the foundation, it is a good idea to take look underneath the stairs as well. Here is where the steps could be starting to rot and break down. This is very important to keep an eye especially because it isn’t visible when just looking at the steps.
- Another sign of needed replacement could be that if the steps are wooden, the wood is beginning to splinter. This automatically makes the steps a little weaker and makes them more like to break with weight or pressure added to them. One good idea is before the steps have the chance to splinter would be to protect them somehow to keep moisture and other things from causing the splinter.
- One apparent sign of stairs needing replacement is pieces breaking off. Say a chunk of the step is missing in the middle. Not only do people have to step around it but could lead to more of it breaking off if people step near it. Also if they don’t see it they could get hurt, which would lead to a lot aggravation for you.
- A good thing to look for on your stairs is after a rainy fall or summer to see if the water has damaged the steps. If so this could lead to previously mentioned issues like bowing or pieces of the steps breaking off. As mentioned before, protecting the steps could prevent this, but there is no guarantee and in the long run new stairs would make more sense.
- When walking up the stairs to your business, make sure you take a look at the railings as well. Grab on to them and see if you can move them. If they give in any way like they move back and forth, its time for a new set of stairs because it is only a matter of time before that gets worse and the railing becomes unstable to use.
- Another thing to look for near the railing is whether the steps connect to the railing. If there is space in between it could result in the steps falling through. So to prevent that, you will want to start working on new stairs immediately.
Acadia Stairs can help you fix or replace the staircase for your office and make them safe for you and your customers. For more information on our services we offer or if you would like a consultation, please feel free to contact us today!
