The PermEntry Basement Entrance adds sales appeal and value to any home by providing convenient, direct access to basement areas. The product consists of a precast concrete stairwell and BILCO basement door that is delivered and installed on your foundation by a BILCO dealer.
Consisting of a precast concrete stairwell and a BILCO basement door, a PermEntry basement entrance is the fastest and most economical way to add convenient, direct basement access to any home.
A basement bulkhead, also called a basement cellar door, basement hatchway or the brand name BILCO, is an insert that serves as the entry point for your basement or cellar.
In fact, it is not. uncommon for an original BILCO brand basement door. to last over 30 years. Just ask your neighbors.
Yes, you can add a walkout to an existing basement as long as there's enough room for an opening in one wall. An exterior entrance requires access via stairs, ramps or a patio area. Unless you're converting a bulkhead to a walkout, your project may require excavating around your foundation wall.
Bilco calls them "basement doors" but uses the term "bulkhead doors" too. Others call them "cellar doors".
Enjoy the convenience of locking and unlocking your Classic Series BILCO basement door from the outside with a basement door keyed lock kit. Install a BILCO keyed entry lock and save the trip into the basement to lock or unlock the door.
Close the door to the basement to conserve heat and energy costs. Heat naturally rises from the lower levels of a house upward, but a draft through an opened basement door cuts right into the warmth of the main floor.
If your door has a powder coat finish, no additional finishing is required. IMPORTANT: Doors supplied with a primer finish must be painted within forty-five (45) days of installation. BILCO requires the use an exterior alkyd base enamel.
BILCO basement doors allow homeowners to add code-compliant living space or storage areas to their home. Large items such games tables and furniture for finished areas, or pool supplies and patio furniture for storage areas, move easily through the wide opening of a BILCO door.
Senior editor Patrick McCombe heads to Bilco's Zanesville, Ohio, plant to get a behind-the-scenes look at how basement doors are made.
Bilco recommends using Sherwin-Williams All Surface Enamel A11 Series in a white or light color. For best results, carefully follow the directions on the Sherwin-Williams label and apply one thin coat of paint followed by a second coat on both the exterior and interior primed steel surfaces of the door.
Bilco Basement Doors
Doors meet building code requirements for emergency egress in finished basement living areas and feature weather resistant construction.
Bilco was founded by George W. Lyons Sr., whose machine shop made the original metal basement door because his own wooden basement door rotted.
By limiting a fire's ability to spread, closing your bedroom door at night also gives you more time to react when the smoke alarm goes off. And these days, every second counts. Because of the plastics in most modern furniture, house fires are more toxic and spread faster than ever before.
It can be tempting to slam the doors and hope the cool air builds up in the areas where you want it, but the fact is that modern air conditioning units are designed as whole-house systems. So when you shut that door, you're only making it much harder for your system to cool your home.
However, with egress basement doors, you want them to swing out, according to NFPA 101. This is because when the door swings out in the direction that you're going, it makes escaping your home a lot easier.
A reinforced steel door is one of the most secure types of front doors you can buy. They're made with thick, heavy-duty steel that's designed to withstand a lot of force. And, they usually have multiple locks to keep intruders out.
Because basements aren't generally super hard to get into. And considering that they are under the house breaking a window and getting in can happen without somebody inside noticing. So.. it locks from inside of the house so nobody can get inside of the house.
Cellar doors protect it from getting infiltrated by outside leaks and also provide an extra “in” or “out” in case of storms or other emergencies. So the door you choose is important for protection.
Bulkhead doors are the most popular although you can opt for a standing door depending on how frequently the basement will be accessed. You can talk to your contractor to find the best type of door to suit your basement.
Historically, operable transom windows above doors played a role in the heating and cooling in a home. Operable transoms have sashes that can be opened or closed to help regulate the temperature in a room when the door is closed.
There are several benefits to having a walkout basement, including improved ventilation and easier access to your backyard. However, walkout basements also come with a few potential drawbacks, including higher construction costs and the possibility of water infiltration.