Table of Contents
Egress is defined as the act of coming or going out. In the window business, egress codes are laws about the size of operable windows for the purpose of allowing people to escape if there’s a fire in the home.
What makes an egress window?
Egress windows are large openings that offer a secondary exit in case of an emergency. They can also add more natural light and make your basement feel more inviting. Basement bedrooms and living spaces are required to have egress windows. This mandate also involves unfinished basements.
How do I know if my window is egress?
For determining egress window sizes and placement, the International Building Code advises that every bedroom must contain at least one egress window. It must be at least 5.7 square feet, 20 inches wide by 24 inches high, with an opening no higher than 44 inches from the floor.
Are egress windows mandatory?
Egress windows are required in every room used for sleeping purposes (bedrooms) on any floor and in basements with habitable space. If you are constructing a new home, the code requires that you put an egress window in each bedroom.
Are egress windows different than regular windows?
An egress window is a window that is required in a specific location of your home to provide a means of escape during an emergency. Instead, they are standard double hung, casement, or sliding windows, they simply must meet the minimum size requirement to be considered egress windows.
Do egress windows open in or out?
What are In-swing Egress Windows? As the name implies they are windows that open into the room rather than out into an egress well. In-swing Egress Windows are legal to use by code in residential settings as an emergency escape because all residential doors also open in to your house.
What is an egress window for basement?
An Egress window serves as an emergency exit from the basement as well as an entry for firefighters and emergency medical personnel. The size and shape of this window are governed by state and local law as well as international building code guidelines.
What is the smallest egress window allowed?
Basement Egress Window Requirements The bottom of the egress window opening can’t exceed 44″ from the finished floor. The minimum opening area of the egress window is 5.7 square feet. The minimum egress window opening height is 24″ high. The minimum egress window opening is 20″ wide.
Do bedroom windows need to open?
An effective means of egress in the event of a fire is the reason there are window requirements on the bedroom space. Technically, a bedroom must have two means of egress, so a second door will suffice, but it must open to the outside, which makes the exterior door a less practical solution. Not any window will do.
What is the best egress window?
In terms of strength and durability, concrete window wells are absolutely the best choice. If you’re doing a DIY installation and you don’t have any power equipment to maneuver heavy slabs of concrete, you might choose a plastic or metal window well.
What do you do with a basement with no windows?
10 Ways to Lighten and Brighten a Basement #1. Paint Your Walls with a Light Color. #2. Choose Light Wood Flooring. #3. Use the right Lighting and Layer them. #4. Choose Bright Colored Furniture for Contrast and Added Brightness. #5. Consider Natural Plants. #6. Don’t Forget the Mirrors. #7. Consider Shiny Metal Accents. #8.
Why is a basement called a basement?
basement (n.) “lowest story of a building, wholly or partly underground,” 1730, from base (v.) + -ment.
When did egress windows become law?
According to Jerry McCarthy, a former building code/construction consultant, the requirement that basement bedrooms have egress windows became part of the International Residential Code in 1997.
Does every bedroom need a fire escape window?
Every habitable room must have a fire egress window, unless there is other means of escape. ie: by direct access to another room with means of escape.
Can you add windows to a basement?
When it comes to installing or enlarging basement windows, there is a lot more to the process than meets the eye. If you’re adding a new bedroom to the space, the window must meet residential building code standards, meaning an egress window is required.
Do double hung windows meet egress?
Double-Hung Windows They can be used as egress windows, but even when they’re fully open, more than half of their overall area is blocked by glass. That said, their overall height must be close to four feet nine inches to meet the requirements.
Can egress windows have screens?
The standards are clear and easy to follow, once you understand them. Escape Well for an Egress Window. Grills, bars, storm windows, or screens over emergency exits also must open from the inside without using tools or keys, and also comply with the opening size and location requirements for an emergency exit.
How hard is it to install an egress window?
It’s much more difficult and more expensive to install an egress window in a masonry wall, especially if it’s a basement wall. For starters, you’ll need to excavate outside the basement wall in the window location and create a deep window well that will provide full access to the window.
What are small basement windows called?
Our basement windows, sometimes called hopper windows, are popular for small spaces like basement rooms and small bathrooms. They’re hinged at the bottom and open at the top for more air ventilation.
Do egress windows leak?
While egress windows offer various benefits, they can also be the source of many problems in the basement. One of the most common problems experienced with these windows is water leakage. This can result in extensive damage in a basement.
What is a non egress window?
A non-grade egress window is a opening located such that the sill height of the opening is more than 44-inches above or below the finished ground level adjacent to the house. Egress windows are required in every room used for sleeping purposes (bedrooms) on any floor and in basements and attics with habitable space.
Can an awning window be egress?
Awning Window Awning windows are out-swinging, top-hinged windows that, when open, resemble the awning to a building. Strengths: For egress, since awnings are able to open fully, the clear opening is often not too much smaller than the full frame size.
How do I measure my egress window?
Egress Window Size – How to Measure: Measure from the maximum grade level (ground level) down to the floor level of the basement. Subtract 28″ from dimension A to get the minimum required height of the Egress Window Well.
