Wheelchair ramp maintenance

Wood. The failure points are ground contact, fasteners and the walking surface. Inspect posts at grade annually for softness, check for popped or corroded fasteners, and reseal on the manufacturer's schedule. A wood ramp that has been neglected for five years is often cheaper to replace than to repair, which is worth knowing before you start patching.

Aluminum and modular. Mostly hardware. Check that bolts at deck and handrail connections are tight, that the surface tread hasn't worn smooth, and that the footings or pads haven't settled — settlement is what quietly changes a compliant slope into a non-compliant one. This is the easiest ramp type to keep safe, which is a real part of its value.

Concrete. Watch for cracking, spalling and settlement. Concrete cannot be re-graded, so settlement at one end is a structural conversation, not a maintenance one. Surface treatment matters more on concrete than people expect — a smooth wet concrete ramp is slick.

Winter. This is where maintenance becomes a safety issue rather than an upkeep issue. CDC reports more than one in four older adults falling each year, with roughly 3 million older adult emergency department visits from falls annually and about 1 million fall-related hospitalizations. Keep the non-slip surface in good condition at $5–$20 per foot to replace, and have a clearing plan that doesn't rely on the person who uses the ramp.

How to choose

Re-measure the slope once a year

Footings settle. A ramp built at 1:12 can drift out of spec without anything looking obviously wrong.

Check handrails by pulling on them

Handrails are required on both sides above a 6-inch rise under ADA §405.8, and a loose handrail is worse than an obvious one.

Replace worn tread before winter, not after

At $5–$20 per foot this is the cheapest item on the list and the one that prevents falls.

Budget the annual cost rather than deferring it

$50–$300 a year is small. Deferred maintenance on a wood ramp turns into a replacement at $100–$250 per linear foot.

Have a snow-clearing plan that isn't the user

Arrange it before the first storm. This is the most predictable failure in the whole category.