Basement entry stairs, steps, handrails: this document describes details for constructing, repairing, or inspecting basement stairs, railings, landings, treads, exterior entries to basements, basement stairwell covers & drains, and related conditions for safety and proper construction.

We also include references to stair codes and stair and railing safety. - Daniel Friedman

Basement Stair Inspection & Safety Concerns

Our photographs show (above) a typical basement entry stair with an open railing - a child hazard - and (below) a twisting, canted narrow, no-railing basement stairway in a pre-1900 home.

The steps in the photo above are dangerous because they lean, have worn stair treads, damaged and loose stair treads.

As our photos just above and below show, these old basement stairs look worse when inspected from underneath, where the inspector can observe: rotted stair risers, treads, and stringer along the basement foundation wall

Conventional or home-made attic or basement stairways

Watch out: for basement stairs from both the building interior and also exterior basement stairs and stairwells that do not meet recommended standards for

In steps to basements, especially in older homes we often find odd dimensions of stair railings, stair tread width, height, depth, nose, low or flimsy stair railings, loose stair components, and a host of other stair and railing defects are the source of more injuries and more lost time from work in the United States (and probably other countries) than any other source of injuries after automobile accidents.

If you see a silly railing such as the one in this photograph it may indicate an approach to stair building that is a red alert for other hazards.

• Step riser height
• Step tread width
• Missing railings
• Stair top landing guardrails missing
• Worn, damaged treads
• Basement walkout stair cover rotted or loose - a serious child hazard such as shown in our photo
• Non-standard steps, rails, construction
• Open railings

• Basement stairs with open side and no railing - people leave off the handrail because it obstructs carrying furniture or other large objects in and out of the basement.

It would be better to provide a handrail and balusters that can be removed when necessary.

 

 

 

 

Garage stairs to basement: explosion waiting to happen

At left we illustrate an unsafe entry stair passing from a residential garage into the home's basement.

Watch out:  As heating equipment is most often found in the home's basement, imagine the explosion that may occur (one did, despite our emphatic warnings, in Fishkill NY) if a vehicle leaks gasoline and gasoline fumes into the garage.

Gasoline fumes, heavier than air, fall down the stairwell, into the basement (or crawl space) where, at the next spark or flame, there is risk of an explosion.

A "fire door" in the stairwell bottom is not enough security for this installation. In fact, as you can see, the (not fire-rated) door has been left ajar.

 

 

Basement Walkout Stair Blocked

Thanks to New Jersey home inspector DovBer Kahn for this photograph of basement stairs to the building exterior that have become all but un-usable.

First the stairs were blocked by the canti-levered floor of the structure above (red arrow), and then the addition of a rear porch (upper left in the photo - green arrow) block most of the headroom for anyone wanting to use this stairway.

We also notice that there are no handrails (pink arrow) and that there may be very slippery algae on those steps (blue arrow) - if you could hunch over to walk up or down them.

Dov says that there is of course also an interior stairway between main floor and basement.

But what happens when the homeowner, objecting to mud being tracked-in upstairs or to oil burner odors, instructs the heating service technician or other service people to enter and leave the building by this exterior basement walkout-stair?

• Dov Ber Kahn, a home inspector in Rockland County, NY has contributed photographs of various building features to InspectApedia. Mr. Kahn is a licensed home inspector in New York and New Jersey, and can be reached at Website: Kahnbhomeinspectors, Tel: 845-445-8234, Email: kdovber@googlemail.com

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Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

On 2018-10-22 by curtis - do open stairs need a rail on both sides?

Is it a hqs requirement to have railing on both sides in a open stairwell

On 2018-10-22 by (mod) - yes

Curtis

I'm not sure what

Hqs

Stands for in your Lexicon.

But certainly any stair well open side needs a guard and handrail.

 

On 2017-11-18 by Brenda H - are balusters required on basement stairs? Modular stairs?

Does anyone know the *code* for basement stairs? Are balusters required?

On 2018-03-07 by Leslie Vasquez

Can I use modular stairs to my basement? the ones I have now do not meet the code in regards of width and length

On 2018-03-07 by (mod) -

Leslie

If by "modular stairs" you mean pre-constructed stairways, the answer is yes provided that the stairs actually fit the building, in particular, the total rise between floors.

You do not want to install pre-fab stairs that cause you to have a first or last step that is a different rise height than the rest of the steps - unless you can solve that trip hazard by a properly-designed landing platform.

Brenda H:

For a basement that is used as occupied space for any reason (doing laundry, playroom, etc) in a residential home the same stair codes pertain as for stairs between any other building floors.

That means that a guard along the stairs (balusters in your question) would be required on an open side of the stairway.

Even if your local codes to not require a stair guard you should install one to prevent falls and injuries.

On 2017-04-06 by Bruce - Pennsylvania stair code on stair stringers

Is there a PA code for how many stringers are needed for basement steps? I would assume it depends on the width, but I can't find any specs.

I built stairs with two stringers set about 34" apart. I need to know if I need a third stringer in the middle. I'm using 2x10s for the treads and they seem to be pretty stable with just two stringers so far.

On 2017-04-06 by (mod) - how many stringers are needed for basement steps?

Right, Bruce, it depends on stair width AND the specific dimensions, particularly depth, of the stringers you're using and how the stringers are cut. For example a notched 2x12 stringer may effectively give just a 2x6 remaining for stair support while not-notched stringers are twice as deep.

On 2016-09-25 by joe

are closed risers a requirement on basement stairs

On 2016-09-25 by (mod) - no

closed risers are not a requirement on basement stairs in SOME installations, but depending on the surrounding building materials, fire blocking may indeed be required, including closed risers. So .... it depends.

On 2015-05-10 by Alan Wall - Does the newell post have to be level with the front of the last trea

Does the newel post have to be level with the front of the last tread or can it be level with the second or third tread, to leave the bottom one or two stairs open? If I did this would I have to cut the stringer to be level with the treads?
Thanks.

On 2015-05-10 by (mod) -

Alan

Take a look at the page top photo of basement stairs. The newell post at the bottom of the stairs is above the first tread and the railing extends past it. However possible concerns with this stair design (as shown) is that there is a snag hazard at the open end of the railing and that if the railing is extended too far past the newell it may be flexible or inadequately supported.

I don't understand the part of your question about cutting the stair stringer.

On 2015-04-21 by Anonymous

Thanks, this site was helpful.

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Continue reading at BASEMENT WALKOUTS & COVERS or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

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• BASEMENT STAIRS
• BASEMENT WALKOUTS & COVERS
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• EXTERIOR STAIR CONSTRUCTION & CODES - home
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• SLIPPERY STAIRS, WALKS, ROOFS
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• SOURCES for DOORS & WINDOWS
• WINDOWS & DOORS, AGE, TYPES

 

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