Instructions / Assembly

Page 4
Installation on sloped masonry side walls
Side walls in poor condition
If the slopped masonry side walls of your areaway have
loose or crumbling masonry and are not structurally
sound, they can be removed and a door can be installed
on the new at areaway after a concrete cap is poured.
Contact BILCO for guidelines on recapping your areaway
or log-on to www.BILCO.com to nd a certied BILCO
basement door installer in your area.
Side walls in good condition
Doors can be installed on side walls if they are structur-
ally solid, have no loose or crumbling masonry, and have
a uniformly at and level surface on which to anchor a
door. If your side walls meet these conditions, it is best
to return your door and use a BILCO Sloped Wall Base-
ment Door (see photo on far right).
How to correct installation errors
Door not shedding water. If your BILCO basement door does not shed water, look for and cor-
rect these installation errors.
1. Header not properly caulked at side pieces. Run a bead of polyurethane caulk along the small
vertical seams between the header and side pieces (see instruction 2 on page 2).
2. Doors do not fully close. Stand on steps and slowly close each door to see if the bottom
ange of one or both is binding on the concrete. Chip away or rub down excess concrete
with mason’s stone so ange is not obstructed.
3. Masonry not high enough. The masonry under the BILCO basement door should be 4” higher
than the surrounding grade and concrete should be level so water cannot accumulate in front
of the sill.
4. Water seeping between steel and masonry. Door should be caulked all around the exterior
where the steel and masonry meet, as well as where the unit joins the building wall. If side
pieces have been buried in concrete, the unit should be removed and stairwell recapped so
that the assembly rests on top of the areaway.
5. Blocked header channel. Make certain channel is clear. Any blockage in this channel will
cause water to overow the header.
STEP 6: Rubber Bumper Installation: After the nish paint has dried, install
two rubber bumpers in the holes on the outside edge of each door. Bumpers are
installed by twisting the small end into the hole until it is fully seated. Bumpers
cushion the doors in the open position and protect the nish paint.
Replacing a door where concrete
areaway is in need of major repair
If the surface of your concrete
areaway is in need of major
repair, you will need to recap
it or install BILCO foundation
plates before installing your basement door.
Foundation Plates
Optional Foundation plates are the fastest and easiest way to improve the surface of an areaway
with minor damage. They easily cover rough masonry to improve the areaway’s appearance and can
be used to reduce the width of an odd-sized areaway to allow installation of a standard size door.
Foundation plates are constructed of steel with a primer nish and are available with a factory applied
powder coat paint nish. Contact BILCO or your local dealer for more information.
Capping your Concrete Areaway
If the surface of your foundation areaway is in need of major repair, the top of the areaway should
be recapped with concrete before installing a BILCO basement door. Contact BILCO for guidelines
on recapping your areaway or log-on to www.BILCO.com to nd a certied BILCO basement door
installer in your area.
BILCO Foundation Plates
BILCO Basement
Door Warranty
Every BILCO product is designed
to operate properly and to provide
trouble-free service. Should a part
fail to function, due to defects in
material or workmanship during
normal use, a new part will be
furnished by The BILCO Company.
This warranty extends for a
period of 5-years from the date of
manufacture. Please visit
www.BILCO.com for complete
warranty details.
BILCO Customer Service
[phone]
(Mon- Fri)
www.BILCO.com