# Doorway Width to Non-habitable Basement



## Gorrell (Mar 22, 2014)

I'm brand new to the forum and this is my first post.  My son and I are rebuilding an 1886 vintage Victorian home in Denver.  We will install a new 36" wide interior stairs to the non-habitable (74" ceiling height) basement, where the furnace and hot water heater are located. What is the required minimum width for a stairway door to the basement?  Installing a 36" door would present problems.  We could install a 32" door, but a 30" would look better.  This is the only access to the basement.


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## Gregg Harris (Mar 22, 2014)

Gorrell said:
			
		

> I'm brand new to the forum and this is my first post.  My son and I are rebuilding an 1886 vintage Victorian home in Denver.  We will install a new 36" wide interior stairs to the non-habitable (74" ceiling height) basement, where the furnace and hot water heater are located. What is the required minimum width for a stairway door to the basement?  Installing a 36" door would present problems.  We could install a 32" door, but a 30" would look better.  This is the only access to the basement.


 R311.2 Egress door.

At least one egress door shall be provided for each dwelling unit. The egress door shall be side-hinged, and shall provide a minimum clear width of 32 inches (813 mm) when measured between the face of the door and the stop, with the door open 90 degrees (1.57 rad). The minimum clear height of the door opening shall not be less than 78 inches (1981 mm) in height measured from the top of the threshold to the bottom of the stop. Other doors shall not be required to comply with these minimum dimensions. Egress doors shall be readily openable from inside the dwelling without the use of a key or special knowledge or effort.

I believe you are free to do as you like. The only exception I can think of that would apply is being able to remove the appliances.


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## cda (Mar 22, 2014)

Since we do have manners around here

Welcome Gorrell


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## ICE (Mar 22, 2014)

cda said:
			
		

> Since we do have manners around hereWelcome Gorrell


How right you are cda.....now tell Superman's father that he put this in the wrong forum.


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## cda (Mar 22, 2014)

ICE said:
			
		

> How right you are cda.....now tell Superman's father that he put this in the wrong forum.


We are allowed one a year, two if you pay


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## cda (Mar 22, 2014)

Gorrell said:
			
		

> I'm brand new to the forum and this is my first post.  My son and I are rebuilding an 1886 vintage Victorian home in Denver.  We will install a new 36" wide interior stairs to the non-habitable (74" ceiling height) basement, where the furnace and hot water heater are located. What is the required minimum width for a stairway door to the basement?  Installing a 36" door would present problems.  We could install a 32" door, but a 30" would look better.  This is the only access to the basement.


How is the basement presently accessed?


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## ICE (Mar 22, 2014)

cda said:
			
		

> We are allowed one a year, two if you pay


I must be paying extra....I've done it more than twice a year.

Years ago, a man came to the counter and asked me what is the minimum size for a bathroom door.  I told him that there is no minimum.  He explained that he is doing a remodel and his wife is dead set on a particular vanity that will leave only 24' for the door.  His wife Shirley must have been petite but he Shirley wasn't.

I gave him a correction notice with a minimum size for the bathroom door.  I can't remember what the size was but he was happy.

I can't remember what size door the wife wanted either but I remember telling him that he might find one at McMahan's RV.

The moral of the story is, "Don't be afraid to lie if you have to"


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## Gorrell (Mar 23, 2014)

Thanks

Thanks for the welcome and comments.  I've never used a bulletin board before, so it will take me a bit to learn the right place to post.  The basement is currently accessed from the interior through a 24" door.  Our concern was that since we are replacing the stairs and rebuilding the wall containing that door, we might be required to put in a larger door.  Denver requires all interior stairs to be 36" wide, not counting the hand rails, so it seemed logical that a larger door may also be required.  It looks like we will be able to go with a 30" door, which will match other nearby doors.


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## fatboy (Mar 23, 2014)

Welcome to the forum!

Denver doesn't require 36", the residential code does. That being said, no specific requirement for the door at the top/bottom of the stairs, other than said before, ability to remove the largest piece on heating/cooling equipment. And I will relocate this to the residential forum. It is a Welcome post, but probably should go to residential...............


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## Pcinspector1 (Mar 24, 2014)

I think the size of the door opening would be dictated by the appliance size if the appliance has to be removed if not an EEO. IMHO.

Make sure the new door does not swing over the stairs, that would be a code violation assuming there are several steps.

pc1


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