Is Condo Door Covered by a Bilco Door Still an Exterior Door?

I.M. from Hartford County, Connecticut writes:

Dear Mister Condo,

Is the door that leads from inside the basement to the Bilco entry then upstairs to outside considered an interior or exterior door?

Mister Condo replies:

I.M., I would honestly have no way of knowing that, which I am guessing is what is the genesis of your question. Bilco doors are typically thought of as protective hatches leading to other doors although, according to the manufacturer, they can also be used as outdoor doors. So, if you don’t know and I don’t know, who does? Your association governance documents are the next place to turn. My guess is they are silent on the subject. That means the next place to turn is the Board itself. Were these doors part of the original design of the building or were they added afterwards? If they were not part of the original design then I would say the next door (the basement door) would be the exterior door. My guess is that the Board would consider the Bilco door a hatch or entryway to the building while the door that is physically attached to the building is the exterior door. Let me ask you this… why does this matter? Are the documents ambiguous as to who is responsible for the upkeep of the door? If you are having a true legal or cost issue with what is going on regarding the Bilco door, get the opinion of a locally qualified attorney. Good luck!