https://stream.echo6.co/videos/watch/d4efb485-a40f-4702-a949-6787137329a9 Ask This Old House general contractor Tom Silva analyzes a staircase that is not to code for prospective homebuyers. SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: http://bit.ly/SubscribeThisOldHouse Steps: Code requires stair railings to be between 34”-38” away from the stair treads., With open risers, the maximum gap allowed between treads is 4”. To tighten a gap, close in the riser or add material to the top of each step., Balusters and cable railings also need to be a maximum of 4” apart., If you come across a house with a staircase that isn’t to code, you can either ask the seller to fix the staircase, or negotiate a lower selling price accounting for the amount it will cost to fix it., These code violations are particularly dangerous for the elderly and for infants. The stair railing needs to be easily grasped, especially in case of a fall. Toddlers can get their heads stuck between railings and treads and suffocate if the gaps are more than 4”., If you don’t have young children or elderly living with you, you could always consider moving in at your own risk. However, this is an issue that should definitely be resolved at some point once you’re in the house., About Open House: Ask This Old House general contractor Tom Silva along with plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey discuss how renovations can impact a household budget. From remodeling kitchens, HVAC, bathrooms, home exteriors, and more, here’s what you need to know to maximize the value of your home. About Ask This Old House TV: Homeowners have a virtual truckload of questions for us on smaller projects, and we're ready to answer. Ask This Old House solves the steady stream of home improvement problems faced by our viewers—and we make house calls! Ask This Old House features some familiar faces from This Old House, including Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook. Follow This Old House and Ask This Old House: Facebook: http://bit.ly/ThisOldHouseFB Twitter: http://bit.ly/ThisOldHouseTwitter http://bit.ly/AskTOHTwitter Pinterest: http://bit.ly/ThisOldHousePinterest Instagram: http://bit.ly/ThisOldHouseIG http://bit.ly/AskTOHIG Tumblr: http://bit.ly/ThisOldHouseTumblr For more on This Old House and Ask This Old House, visit us at: http://bit.ly/ThisOldHouseWebsite Dangerous Staircases | Open House | Ask This Old House https://www.youtube.com/user/thisoldhouse/ Sun, 17 May 2026 05:47:37 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html PeerTube - https://stream.echo6.co https://stream.echo6.co/client/assets/images/icons/icon-512x512.png https://stream.echo6.co/videos/watch/d4efb485-a40f-4702-a949-6787137329a9 All rights reserved, unless otherwise specified in the terms specified at https://stream.echo6.co/about and potential licenses granted by each content's rightholder.