(Special)-If you or anyone living in your house has difficulty using stairs, installing a ramp is a great way to make your home safer and more accessible. A ramp can be used to overcome changes in level, either on the inside or outside of a home, as an alternative to using stairs.  

To help you make the right choice for your family, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) offers the following tips on how to select or design an access ramp for your home:

Ramps are particularly useful for overcoming changes in level of up to about 30 inches from the ground level to the level of the entrance being ramped.

Using ramps for greater changes in level requires a great deal of space - which may or may not be practical. In these cases, installing a lift or residential elevator may be a better strategy than constructing a ramp.

There are typically two strategies used for ramp design: a landscape approach and a structural approach.

The landscape approach incorporates landscaping, gently sloping walkways and grading to overcome changes in level. The landscape approach is generally limited to smaller changes in level.

The structural approach involves building a ramp structure - usually using wood-framing construction.

The run (length) of the ramp will depend on two primary factors: the overall rise (vertical change in level) and the slope used.

For home use, most people find that a ramp with a slope of between 1 in 15 (for every one inch of change in height the ramp must be 15 inches in length) and 1 in 20 is safer and easier to use. Just remember that the less steep your ramp is, the longer it will have to be.

Ramps should also be a minimum of one metre (39 inches) wide. This does not include handrails, guardrails or other structural components. If someone who will be using the ramp has a walker, wheelchair or scooter and has some difficulty steering in a straight line, a wider ramp may be required.

All ramps must include a landing at the top and bottom, as well as at any point where the ramp changes direction or if the ramp exceeds a maximum of 30 feet in length. Ramp landings should be at least five feet long.

If the landing is located where the ramp turns or changes direction, it should measure at least five square feet. It may need to be as large as seven square feet if it needs to accommodate a scooter or large wheelchair.

As the ramp may also be used by people who are walking, make sure there are at least seven feet of clear headroom above the ramp and any landings. Be sure to take into account any protruding objects such as air-conditioners, trees and shrubs, flower boxes or low awnings.

Handrails are required for any ramp steeper than 1 in 20. If handrails are not required, it is still a good idea to install a raised lip or edge to prevent someone in a wheelchair from rolling off the edge of the ramp.

Ramps should be well lit to create a welcoming area and ensure they are safe and easy to use. Other recommended safety features include colour-contrasting handrails and tactile, coloured strips across the top and bottom of the ramp.

Ramps should also always end on a sidewalk or the driveway, and not enter directly onto a road.

If you are building an exterior ramp and live in an area where there is lots of snow or rain, having a covered ramp would be ideal.

If this is not possible, consider locating the ramp on the side of your house that is least likely to be affected by snowdrifts or wind-blown rain and surfacing the ramp with durable materials that can be shovelled off.

Before starting construction, contact your local building department to find out if you will need a permit to add a ramp to your home. Building departments can also be great sources of information on how to design and construct a ramp in your area.

For more information or a free copy of the "About Your House" fact sheet Accessible Housing by Design - Ramps, or for information on any other aspect of owning, maintaining or buying a home, go to www.cmhc.ca or call CMHC at 1-800-668-2642.