If your home or workplace has air conditioning systems, solar panels, etc. established on the roof, you must install a roof access hatch. You will need to access the roof for cleaning and maintenance of the systems established there. A hatch can increase your convenience and give your easy and safe access. Installing a hatch can also enable you to use your roof for recreational purposes. Ideally, hatches can be established on roofs which have inclination lower than 30 degrees. There are different options of flooring, ceiling doors and walls to choose from.
Advantages of Installing a Hatch:
The most significant advantages have been presented as follows:
1. Safety: One of the biggest benefits of installing a roof access hatch is safety. Having a hatch is much safer and convenient as compared to having to access the roof externally by using a ladder. Roof hatches come with gas struts which keep them stable even in case of strong wind. Also, they have handrails which help you keep balance and climb up and down safely.
2. Perfect for Every Weather: A hatch can be used in different ways to meet your varying needs with respect to the weather. For example, on a sunny day, you can keep the hatch open and flood your house’s interiors with sunlight. You can adjust the hatch to control the amount of light coming in. On a rainy day, you can keep the hatch shut and protect the interiors from rainwater.
3. Avoidance of Getting Stuck: A roof access hatch comes with latches on both sides to ensure that a person does not get stuck on the roof by any chance. The latches also make sure that accessing the roof is easy. They have a mechanism that makes opening the hatch easy and minimum effort is required.
4. Low Costs and Easy Maintenance: Hatches come in a huge variety of options and price ranges. The expenses are quite affordable. There are many options in which you do not even need professional help to install the hatch. You can do it yourself by assembling different units together with the help of a detailed instruction manual provided with the hatch. Maintenance is very easy as well and hatches have a significant warranty period too.
Types of Roof Hatches:
Some of the most popular types of hatches are as follows:
1. The Basic Version: This is the standard and most popular type of hatch. A roof access hatch of this type has a set of stairs or ladder which can be folded. It can be opened easily with very less effort and by using just one hand as they have counterbalance and controlled closing mechanisms.
2. Electric Controlled Hatches: This type of hatches has electric motors which operate the opening and closing functions. You can use a computer panel or even a remote to open or close the hatch. Different kinds of sensors can also be added to these hatches to increase automation, for example, a rain sensor can ensure that the hatch closes on its own in case of rainfall.
3. Glazed Roof Hatches: These have a panel of safety glass which makes sure that the optimum amount of light gets transmitted indoors. It also insulates the interiors effectively. The glass panel has a self-cleaning mechanism and is burglary and scratch proof.
It can be concluded that installing a roof access hatch increase your convenience and safety, also improve the pleasantness of your house’s interiors. There are different design, mechanism and cost options to choose from. If you plan to install a hatch, you should opt for a reliable company with excellent customer support and long-term warranty.