Expert: Richard Taylor, AIA - 4/20/2004

Question
Hi Richard:

I am a residiential home investor/rehabber.  A home I am currently working on has a rear entrance that leads directly down into the basement.  Directly, no landing, no nothing.  I am sure that it would not be allowed by any inspector today because of the immediate drop after crossing the threshold, but the geometry of the house will not allow me to install a landing.  The current door swings out with the hinges on the exterior of the house.  Since it would be relatively easy for a burgler to break into the house with exposed hinges, the previous owner had a security gate on the other side of the door jamb that swung in to the stairway.  The gate would be swung open at all times except when the door needed to be secured in the evenings, etc.

I want to replace the door since it is in disrepair anyway with a new door that swings into the stairway.  The new, more substantial door will be more secure that the existing door and so I will remove the metal gate currently in place.  I know this arrangement will be a little awkward for persons coming up the stairs, but I don't know of any other way.

Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated.  BTW, the exterior of the house is made up of asbestos shingles which I don't want to mess with because of environmental concerns and costs.

Someone suggested that somehow  there might be a door that swings out from the house and yet has hinges on the inside of the home.  Is this true?  What is such a configuration called?

Again, any thoughts or ideas are appreciated.

Regards,

Jeff Pierson  

Answer
Jeff:

Thanks for your question!

Your have three choices for exterior hinges on outswing doors to improve security - each will make this a simple problem to solve, and all should be readily available from your lumberyard or architectural hardware shop.

"Set-screw" hinges have a set-screw on the barrel that holds the pin in place.  The screw can only be accessed when the door is in the open position.

"Safety stud" hinges have a punched-out "stud" on one leaf that fits into a hole in the other.  Even if the pin is removed, the leaves can't slide past each other and the door is held closed.

"Fast-riveted" pins are crimped at both ends, making them pretty much permanent.

Call your hardware supplier for how to get ahold of these and which ones are the best for your application.

Hope this helps!

Richard Taylor, AIA
Richard Taylor Architects, LLC
www.rtaylorarchitects.com