West Haven-Allingtown fire officials have sounded the alarm about the growing number of illegal basement and attic apartments, many of which lack safe exits in case of fire. But while recent headlines have focused on unpermitted rental units, the underlying fire risks also apply to countless 海角换妻 homeowners 鈥� especially those with finished basements they use recreationally or for overflow sleeping space.
Whether it鈥檚 a couch, a TV or the occasional overnight guest, many basement setups function like unofficial bedrooms. West Haven-Allingtown Fire Marshal and say that can become a serious safety issue 鈥� particularly if the basement lacks a secondary exit.
鈥淚 certainly would not recommend sleeping in a basement that does not have an egress window or another way out,鈥� Flood said. 鈥淏ut obviously that happens, right?鈥�
What does the CT fire code say about basements?
The mandates that all finished basement living spaces include two means of exit. That usually means a staircase plus a large emergency escape window that opens directly to the outside. But for many older homes, that鈥檚 a renovation that was never done.
Chief Terenzio says that in his five years on the job, roughly half of the department鈥檚 full-fledged fire responses have involved basement or attic spaces.
鈥淲hen you go to enter into these places and you ask yourself, 鈥榃hat would I do if I was living here? How would I get out?鈥� And it鈥檚 obvious that there鈥檚 only one stairwell up and one stairwell down,鈥� Terenzio said. 鈥淎nd if there were a fire anywhere below me or even above me, I鈥檓 not getting out.鈥�
What can you do if your basement isn鈥檛 up to state fire code?
Despite his recommendation not to sleep in basements that aren鈥檛 up to state fire code, Flood says homeowners can take the following temporary precautions to lower the risk if they choose to use a basement for sleeping:
- Have working smoke detectors in and just outside of the basement
- Keep interior doors closed if smoke is detected to buy time
- Keep fire extinguisher(s) nearby
- Have your escape route(s) planned ahead of time
Adding an egress window: What to know
Homeowners looking to bring their basement up to code might consider installing an egress window, which can cost anywhere from $2,500 to $5,000 depending on the home鈥檚 foundation and landscaping, according to . 海角换妻 law requires that these windows open without tools or keys and provide at least 5.7 square feet of clearance to allow adults to climb through.
While it鈥檚 a significant investment, companies like adding a code-compliant window not only improves safety, but may also boost home value 鈥� especially if the basement is used for living space.
What about sprinklers?
Another added-value fire safety option is installing a home fire sprinkler system.
鈥淚鈥檝e been an advocate for residential sprinklers for probably about 12 years,鈥� Flood said. 鈥淚f you look at the national code, it calls for residential sprinklers. But in 海角换妻, we take that language out. It鈥檚 just expensive because certain water authorities want a separate line coming into the house.鈥�
According to data compiled by Angi.com, the 鈥� not accounting for adding a separate water line 鈥� is about $1.35 per square foot. For existing homes, the cost can be higher 鈥� but many installations are still under $10,000, depending on plumbing access.
While there is a financial investment required to install sprinklers into a private home, there are also potential financial benefits. Joe Clark of Liberty Company Insurance Brokers recently told AOL.com that on homeowners insurance costs.
And there鈥檚 evidence that so-called automatic extinguishing systems (AES) are effective.
From 2017 to 2021, according to a 2024 , 鈥渢he civilian death and injury rates in home structure fires where sprinklers were present were 89% and 31% lower, respectively, than in home structure fires with no AES. In addition, the average property loss per home structure fire was 55% lower in reported home fires where sprinklers were present compared to fires in homes with no sprinkler systems, and the firefighter injury rate was 48% lower.鈥�
