News and Press
Life-saving Window Wells from Mar-Flex Make Their Debut
Middletown, Ohio (May 9, 2006) -- The numbers are grim. An average of 130 people were killed and 940 injured in below-grade residential fires each year according to a four-year study by the National Fire Protection Association. These sad statistics are why Mar-flex Waterproofing and Basement Products today launched Lifelines Egress Window Wells.
Lifelines window wells are designed for a generation of safety-conscious American homeowners who place a high priority on making sure their basements have a secondary escape route in the event of a fire, tornado or other life-threatening emergency. And because size matters when it comes to emergency egress, Lifelines wells are up to nearly six feet wide and seven feet high, with a projection of nearly four feet.
Featuring built-in steps and handrails, Lifelines make it easy for even young children to escape the basement and climb to safety quickly. “Any firefighter who has been at one of these scenes shares the same feelings of sadness and frustration,” said Mar-flex President Brett Oakley, a 25-year member of the Madison Volunteer Fire Department. “These deaths are preventable. People shouldn’t die because of being trapped in their own basement. I’ve made it my mission to help families avoid this needless tragedy,” Oakley said.
Lifelines are debuting as in-stock items at residential building product outlets familiar to, and convenient for, contractors, builders and homeowners. The life-saving wells are available nationally through concrete and poured wall distributors, and construction supply houses. In addition, they are available at select lumber companies and retail lumberyards in a four-state region comprised of Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Kentucky. Negotiations underway with national big box retailers are aimed at significantly expanding the accessibility of Lifelines to homeowners across the country.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, an average of 18,200 fires a year were reported in lower level living areas during the time-period studied. Local building and fire codes increasingly are requiring emergency egress and rescue openings for basements in newly constructed homes, and for some existing basements. Jurisdictions vary, but, in general, basements with one or more sleeping rooms are required to have emergency egress and rescue openings in each sleeping room.
Homeowners are getting savvier about safety requirements. “Lifelines are easy to install and our homebuyers really like the look and benefits,” said Benny Bryant, president of BR Bryant Custom Homes, Middletown, Ohio. “There is no installation time difference for the builder and very little additional effort required. Once they are properly installed, you’re done.”
Bryant added, “By having egress systems in place, we can build out lower level living at $20 a square foot versus $100 upstairs and sell twice the home with only a 10-20 percent increase in our costs.”
Lifelines are available in two sizes, with dimensions as follows: 69.5-inch inside width by 46-inch projection by 83-inch height (larger size), and 69.5-inch inside width by 46-inch projection by 63-inch height (smaller size). Three colors are available; white, sandstone and granite. Lifelines are produced from durable polyethylene and do not rust or dent. They let in more natural light and channel water away from the home.
Lifelines were introduced commercially at the World of Concrete Convention in Las Vegas in January 2006. The first advertisement for Lifelines appeared in the April 2006 issue of Builder Magazine. More information about Lifelines can be obtained by visiting the Mar-flex web site at www.mar-flex.com, or by calling 1-800-498-1411.
Lifelines photo available on request. Contact Tim Sansbury 1-937-278-0681, tim@ponweb.com.
ABOUT MAR-FLEX WATERPROOFING AND BASEMENT PRODUCTS
Mar-flex Waterproofing and Basement Products supplies the construction community throughout the United States with new and innovative basement products. The Middletown, Ohio-based company manufactures and distributes window wells and accessories, and offers a comprehensive line of waterproofing solutions. The company’s premium products and services are used in residential, multi-family and commercial construction. Founded in 1984, Mar-flex Waterproofing and Basement Products has earned a reputation for the superior quality of its products and its complete approach to the supply of materials for lower level living.
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