Here's something we see all the time: a building owner walks past their fire escape every single day, and because the problems happen gradually — a little more rust here, a little more wobble there — they don't realize how bad things have gotten until an inspector shows up and fails the whole structure.
The truth is, most fire escape problems don't happen overnight. They build up over years of New England weather, deferred maintenance, and the simple passage of time. But the good news? The warning signs are usually pretty obvious once you know what to look for.
We've been inspecting, repairing, and building fire escapes across Boston for over 20 years. Here are the five signs we tell every property owner to watch for — and what to do about each one.
1. Rust and Corrosion (Especially at Connection Points)
This is the big one. Rust is the number one enemy of fire escapes in New England, and it's not hard to understand why. Our buildings deal with rain, snow, ice, road salt, and freeze-thaw cycles for roughly half the year. All of that moisture accelerates oxidation on exposed metal — and fire escapes are about as exposed as it gets.
Now, a little surface rust isn't necessarily an emergency. That's the orange-brown discoloration you'll see on the surface of the metal, and it can usually be addressed with proper scraping, priming, and repainting with a rust-inhibitive coating.
What you need to worry about is deep corrosion. That's when the rust has eaten into the metal itself — you'll see flaking, pitting, or metal that feels thin and brittle to the touch. Pay special attention to connection points where the fire escape meets the building wall, bolts, welds, and the underside of platforms and treads. These are the areas that trap moisture and corrode first.
How to spot it: Look for orange or reddish-brown discoloration, flaking metal, or areas where the paint is bubbling from underneath. Tap suspect areas with a wrench — if the metal sounds hollow or crumbles, that's deep corrosion and it needs professional attention immediately.
2. Loose, Missing, or Wobbly Railings
Railings are one of the most critical safety features on a fire escape. During an actual emergency — when people are moving quickly, possibly in the dark, possibly in a panic — railings are what keep someone from falling off an open platform several stories above the ground.
So when railings start to wobble, pull away from their posts, or go missing entirely, it's a serious problem. And it's one of the most common issues we see during inspections.
The usual culprits are corroded bolts, weakened welds, and fasteners that have loosened over time due to thermal expansion and contraction (metal expands in summer heat and contracts in winter cold — over the years, this loosens connections). Sometimes it's as simple as tightening or replacing hardware. Other times, the railing itself has deteriorated to the point where it needs to be replaced.
How to spot it: Give each railing a firm shake. It should feel completely solid with zero movement. If there's any give, any rocking, or if you can see daylight where the railing meets its post or the wall — that's a repair that shouldn't wait.
3. Sagging or Uneven Platforms and Landings
Every landing platform on a fire escape is designed to support a specific load. When you step onto a platform and it feels like it's dipping, bouncing, or tilting to one side, that's a sign that the structural supports underneath are compromised.
This can happen for a few reasons. The support brackets that connect the platform to the building may be corroded or pulling away from the masonry. The platform itself may have metal fatigue — especially in older fire escapes that have been through decades of weather cycles. Or the anchor bolts may have loosened or failed.
This is one where we always tell people: if it doesn't feel right, trust your instincts. A platform that sags under the weight of one person could fail entirely under the weight of multiple people during an actual evacuation.
How to spot it: Stand on each platform and pay attention to how it feels. Is it level? Does it flex or bounce? Look at the underside (from the ground or floor below) for visible sagging, bent supports, or gaps between the brackets and the building wall.
4. Damaged or Deteriorating Stairs and Treads
The stairs are the part of the fire escape that takes the most abuse. They carry all the foot traffic, collect the most water and debris, and because they're angled, water tends to pool at the edges and in the connection points rather than draining away cleanly.
Over time, this leads to thinning metal on the treads, holes or perforations where rust has eaten through, cracked or broken welds at the stringer connections, and warped or bent steps that no longer sit flat.
And here's the thing most people don't think about: the drop ladder. That's the counterbalanced ladder on the lowest landing that's designed to swing down to the ground so people can climb to safety. If it's rusted in place, jammed, or the mechanism is broken — the entire fire escape is effectively unusable from the street level. We check these on every inspection, and you'd be surprised how often they're frozen solid.
How to spot it: Walk each flight of stairs and feel for treads that flex, rock, or feel thinner than they should. Look for visible holes, cracks at the welds, or steps that are no longer level. And test the drop ladder — if it doesn't swing freely, it needs servicing.
5. Peeling Paint and Exposed Bare Metal
We know — peeling paint doesn't sound like a big deal. It sounds like a cosmetic issue, like something you'd get around to when the building gets its next facelift.
But on a fire escape, paint isn't decoration — it's protection. The Massachusetts State Building Code (Section 1001.3.1) specifically requires that fire escapes be maintained with weather-protecting products applied as often as necessary to keep them in safe condition. That protective coating is the barrier between the metal and moisture. When it fails, you're essentially watching the clock start on every other problem on this list.
Peeling, bubbling, cracking, or flaking paint — especially if you can see bare metal underneath — means that section of the fire escape is actively being attacked by the elements. Left alone, surface rust becomes deep corrosion, and deep corrosion becomes a structural problem.
The fix isn't complicated: proper scraping down to clean metal, rust-inhibitive primer, and a quality enamel-based paint. But the key is doing it before the damage goes deeper. A paint job today can prevent a major structural repair next year.
How to spot it: Do a visual scan from the ground — you can often see peeling and flaking paint even from street level. Look for patches of orange showing through the paint, bubbling sections (a sign that rust is forming underneath), or areas where bare metal is clearly exposed.
So You Spotted a Problem. Now What?
First off — don't panic, but don't sit on it either. Fire escape problems get worse with time, never better. What's a minor repair today can become a major structural project (and a much bigger bill) if you leave it for another winter.
Here's what we recommend:
- Document what you see. Take photos from multiple angles. Note which floors and which components are affected. This helps your inspector focus their assessment.
- Don't use it as storage. Under Massachusetts law (M.G.L. Chapter 143, Section 22), any item left on a fire escape is considered a common nuisance. Clear everything off — plants, bikes, furniture, all of it.
- Call a licensed professional. In Massachusetts, fire escape inspections and certifications can only be performed by a Registered Professional Engineer or Licensed Fire Escape Installer. A handyman or general contractor can't sign off on this.
- Get ahead of your 5-year certification. If you spot problems now, it's much better to address them proactively than to find out during your certification inspection.
How King Iron Works Handles Fire Escape Repairs
We've seen every kind of fire escape problem imaginable — from minor rust touch-ups to full structural rebuilds on buildings that probably should have called us five years earlier.
Here's how we typically approach a repair project:
- Free on-site assessment — we come to your building, walk the entire fire escape, and give you an honest evaluation of what needs to happen. No charge, no pressure.
- Detailed scope of work — you'll know exactly what we're repairing, why it needs to be done, and what it's going to cost before we start.
- In-house fabrication — if your fire escape needs replacement parts — new treads, platforms, railings, brackets — we design and fabricate everything at our Everett, MA facility.
- Structural engineering coordination — for more complex situations, we work directly with engineers to make sure the repair meets all code requirements.
- Certification upon completion — as a Licensed Fire Escape Installer in Massachusetts, we can inspect, repair, and certify your fire escape all in one project.
- Emergency services available — if you've got a situation that can't wait, we're set up to respond quickly.
Think Your Fire Escape Might Need Repair?
Don't wait for your next inspection to find out. A quick call gets you a free on-site assessment from a licensed fire escape professional.
Contact us at +1 617-404-2589 or [email protected] to schedule your assessment.
The Bottom Line
Fire escapes are built tough, but they're not invincible. New England weather is relentless, and without regular attention, even the best-built fire escape will eventually develop problems.
The key is catching those problems early. A little rust today is a quick fix. A lot of rust next year is a structural rebuild. A loose railing today is a bolt replacement. A missing railing during an emergency is a tragedy.
Take five minutes this week to walk your fire escape and look for these five signs. And if anything concerns you — even a little — give us a call. That's what we're here for.
