Stairs to basements in older homes are often steep and built to less than satisfactory standards. It is almost as if they were constructed as an after thought, and were fitted in any way they could. They often have sharp winding turns, insufficient or missing handrails, low clearances to bang your head on, and insufficient or missing side barriers.
While these stairs might have been somewhat satisfactory when the only thing down there was the furnace and the water heater, as these basements took on more everyday uses such as laundry rooms, family rooms, and additional bedrooms, these stairs represent an increased safety risk.
Improving these stairs so that they are not so steep and are safe by current standards can be very costly and might even require relocation of the stairs and/or changes in the floor structure to improve them. This is usually not done.
One requirement that becomes necessary as the basement is developed into "living space" is for there to be a light switch at the top and the bottom of the stairs. This is especially important as a safety "upgrade" if the stairs are themselves to remain dangerous----and least you will be able to see where you are falling and others will be able to locate you to pick up the pieces.
In older homes, a switch only at the top was quite common. A home I inspected the other day used to have a switch located at the top of the stairs but it was abandoned in favor of one located half way down the stairs----sort of "ideally" wrong for whether you were going up or down the stairs.
Charles Buell
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This is such an easy fix that "Common Sense" tells us it should be done. The light should be at the top of the stairs to illuminate the body on the way down. That way someone can actually see how many flips you do on the way down.
Charles, we have a number of homes that have this issue in our area. I would think that if you are going to the expense to build out the basement into living space that the repairs in the stairs should become part of the code required for a building permit.
I can't even imagine the conversation that went on, where they decided to put the switch out of reach for going up OR down the stairs! Brilliant!
Jack, such a good point----it is important to properly illuminate the number of bounces:)
Tony & Darcy, as amazing as it may seem codes rarely make you "upgrade" the stairs----I agree they should though----and I think most people would do it in the context of a big remodel. It is the "cosmetic" remodels where it doesn't get done.
Alan, "Brilliant" reminds me of those Guiness commercials:)
Charles, It's usually the stuff you can't see that will kill you...
So true Paul----pretty literally in this case. Of course you could go around wearing a head lamp all the time:)
Some of those stairs are indeed dangerous. Since we don't have many basements here the builders have to do their skills with stairs to the second story. They pull some real lulus there and they are real famous for leaving off a handrail!
Charles that was the perfect place for the switch. You see that's were the light from the top hallway coming down before it hit the shadow of dark. If they would have located it farther down, the darkness would have not let you see it before the final tumble down.
~ Life is Good
Barbara, you are so right----I could do an equally humorous post about stairs to upper floor levels.
Roy, you skills of observation are overwhelming me----I am flogging myself ritualistically for not thinking of it myself:)
You definitely don't have a boring job. Your clients are giving you plenty to report back to us about here :)
Jim & Maria----definately not boring.
I have seen low clearances where you could break a light bulb, hanging down from a socket, with your head. Other times I have seen foam pads wrapped around a low beam or joist.
Charles, Kinda makes you wonder what they were smokin'...
**** Merry Christmas ****
Maybe the middle switch was to the Reskin tiffany over the pool table. You would want to turn it on so that as you get to the bottom the effect is ready and waiting...
Okay, maybe the effect this year isn't ideal, but NEXT YEAR we're really gonna get'em!
Steve, too true----low clearances were very common. People just weren't "that" much shorter back then:)
Michael, while some of the work actually appeared to have been done by a "professional" there was not seal on the meter:)
Jay, I can't imagine trying to find this switch in the dark too many times before I started to think how strange it was.
I think Roy has a point, why do you need light in the stairway. The light from the hall should be enough to illuminate the narrow, steep stairs.
Dear Mr Charles,
If you can see this in Florida, please call the office. I am having a heck of a time answering the phone for you. People tell me to quit chattering and it is offensive. This running Charles Buell Inspections is harder than you lead me to believe. By the way, how do I turn up the thermostat in your office. I am cold.
Your backup,
Nutsy
It looks like they placed the switch where they were able to reach. Since the steps are so steep, they probably couldn't reach to mount it near the top of the steps.