Would you take your basement door down if it was against "code"?

[Lisa at Home]

I would like to take our basement door down (and just store it in our utility room), but dh is concerned that it's against code.

Is it really that big of a deal? To break code, I mean?

The litterbox is downstairs and so the door must remain open at all times. Due to a slight slope, the door won't stay open for just a few inches. It's pretty much open or closed all the way. Open, it extends into the busy kitchen area.

Also, the downstairs is completely finished, and dd's bedroom is down there, as is the school/computer room. There is constant traffic there.

Anyway, to me the door is a nuisance and its presence has never been wanted. As far as I am concerned, I could care less about code. It's my house! Would you just take it down?

~Lisa

[Mrs Mungo]

If he's worried it's against code then just keep the door and put it back up just in case you need it if and when you sell the house.

[JudoMom]

I would take it down. But why would it be against code? Is considered a fire barrier or something?

[Lisa at Home]

I would just stick it in the utility room in case we ever needed it.

Thanks!

[chiguirre]

I'd take it down and keep it to reattach later if you need to have your home inspected. If your dh would feel better, install a smoke detector on the stairs if you don't have one.

[Lisa at Home]

My dad said it would be against code, and generally he knows these sorts of things.

I guess because someone could fall down the stairs or something. But if your bedrooms are on an upstairs level, it seems to me that someone could still fall down those, and yet no one blocks off stairs when they're on a second story.

That's why I think it's silly- if there's a code, I mean. It doesn't seem like a good enough reason not to take the door down.

Thanks,

~Lisa

[In The Great White North]

I would take it down. Store it somewhere and put it back up when you sell the house.

[Unicorn]

I would take it down. It may be against code if you sell, but while you're living there, you can do what you want. :0)

[Lisa at Home]

To tell you the truth, it just irks me to no end that there could possibly be a rule telling me what I can do in my own house.

Next I think I'll go rip off some mattress tags!:D

~Lisa

[JudyJudyJudy]

As you probably know, the code is for safety reasons. If you feel that the way you have it set up is safe, then I say to go ahead and take the door down and store it.

[Peek a Boo]

another vote for "take it down but keep it handy."
I'm w/ JJJ --code is there for safety. If you feel your set up is safe for your family, then go for it. Many code enforcement officers would tell you the same thing off the record.

I do think I'd make sure there are smoke detectors tho. But then again, we put smoke detectors EVERYWHERE in our house per firefighter's suggestions.

[gardening momma]

The only reason for a code for a basement door that I can think of is as a fire break/barrier like JudoMom said. On our last house we installed a kitty door. The basement door was stained wood (one of those hollow ones), and the kitty door was white plastic. It still looked very nice when it was done. My FIL brought his jig saw over and cut out the hole for it and FIL and dh installed the kitty door.

We sold the house with the kitty door still installed, and didn't have a problem (no one asked that we put in a new door).

[fivetails]

K, we've always rented (never owned yet) so I don't know what all this 'code' stuff is - and being told what you can do in your own house is sorta silly :001_huh:

But the question - what the heck is the difference between not having a basement door and having one but it's always open? Ours has been shut maybe twice in four years. :tongue_smilie:

[Tracey in TX]

Most buildings and homes are not up to code, as the expectations change yearly. A new home built in 2007 won't pass all inspections b/c of code changes. I wouldn't worry about it unless you aren't comfortable with the door or you're planning on selling your home soon.

[nestof3]

Yes, I would break code on that.

[klmama]

I'd either take down the door or install a cat door so it could remain closed. Of course, if you went to sell you might end up needing to totally replace the door then, as some won't want a cat door in their basement door.

[Mom to Aly]

Most buildings and homes are not up to code, as the expectations change yearly. A new home built in 2007 won't pass all inspections b/c of code changes. I wouldn't worry about it unless you aren't comfortable with the door or you're planning on selling your home soon.

This is true. We almost bought a house 15 years ago, and found out half of it violated code (and could not be brought up to code) two days before closing by pure accident--not something our inspector told us, and he had no liability (the back half was mostly glass with a huge garden, and an 8 foot privacy fence, but it was on a corner lot, so an 8 foot fence was illegal--we would have had to put in a 4 foot fence to bring it to code, take out a florida room too close to the edge of the property, and more)--the only way it would have mattered, though, would have been if someone had reported it (and to us, we got out of the contract.

My point is (finally, I know), if no one knows, it doesn't matter. People live with tiny, and huge, violations all the time and know it and don't care.

[lynn]

Is this a house you own or rent? If it's a rental then it could be an issue but if it's your house it does not matter you're the home owner and can do what you please.

[Kimberly in IN]

In a previous house, we took our basement door down. (we kept the door, but didn't even put it back up when we sold.) I agree about the smoke detectors but I am one of those people who has smoke detectors everywhere. Anyway, taking the door really helped the flow of that area. We were happy w/ the results.

[elegantlion]

I would take it down and store it. My only concern would be if you have toddlers over a regular basis that could fall.

I would also install a smoke detector in the stairwell.

[Lisa at Home]

That is why it is such a nuisance. If it is there for some sort of fire protection, it would never accomplish its job anyway.

~Lisa

[Lisa at Home]

The door also stays open because it is a high traffic area. With the computer down there, someone is always either coming or going.

Dd's bedroom is down there too, and it just seems that she is so far away with that door shut, that I won't ever close it.

Thanks,

~Lisa

[Lisa at Home]

Thanks,

~Lisa

[Lisa at Home]

Thanks!

~Lisa

[abreakfromlife]

Knowing it was against a code would make me want to take it down all the more :lol:

[Lisa at Home]

Why does taking the door down mean you need a smoke detector? The door is never shut anyway.

Thanks!

~Lisa

[In The Great White North]

I would like to take our basement door down (and just store it in our utility room), but dh is concerned that it's against code.

If he's concerned, you might want to see if it really is a code violation, and if so, what code.

There are several and they are not all legally binding.

For example, there is a ""National" electric code, promulgated by the electricians themselves ( a professional organization - not sure if it's the union or not) but the only inspections required by law in Vermont are for septic systems. Some towns have no building code or permit for anything else whatsoever.

Every state and, in some cases county or city, can impose a building code but not all have.

[Peek a Boo]

Why does taking the door down mean you need a smoke detector? The door is never shut anyway.

Thanks!

~Lisa

well, the firemen will explain that every closed door offers a few more minutes to contain a fire from spreading. They also recommend closing doors at night --which most parents do NOT do so we can hear kids, lol. If a fire started in the basement, then the stairway is the fastest way for it to spread UP.

We were also advised to place a smoke detector in every room [except the bathroom and kitchen], in every hallway, and at the base and top of every stairwell.

We put about 14 smoke detectors in our basement-and-2-story house in NY. They said that with that many smoke detectors you'd likely walk out of any fire. I don't remember how many we have in this house, but we only have one stairwell.

I have a soft spot for fire fighters:

if we get everyone out of a fire quickly and safely, then THEY don't have to risk their lives to get us out. The smoke detectors are worth both our lives and their lives :D

[KatieinMich]

I really don't see where the code protectors are going to come knocking on your door and ask you to put your door back on..
but that's just my opinon. :001_smile:

My neighborhood has many many homes by the same builder and different versions of the same ranch style home. Door to the garage, Basement door, coat closet door and 1/2 bathroom door all come to gether in the same little entry area.
Most of the homeowners remove the basment door as it is completely in the way.
We have one of the versions where the doors are ok unless you are trying to get your birkenstocks out of the closet while your hubby is trying to get out to the garage before you, in which case your hair gets all mussed up cuz you end up crawling deeper into the closet to get out of his way!