Having a window or other route of escape in each sleeping room and in any basement living area is very important because a fire can spread through a house in about two minutes, and if that happens your family needs to be able to leave the house as quickly as possible.
The sill height of the window must be no more than 44 inches above the floor. The minimum opening area must be at least 5. It has to be easily accessible from inside, without anyone needing tools or keys to open it. If there is a porch or deck over the window, there must be at least 36 inches of room between the bottom of the structure joists and the top of the window.
The horizontal dimensions of the window well must be 9 square feet with a horizontal projection of at least 36 inches. If the window well is deeper than 44 inches, a ladder will be required, and it must be permanently attached.
The ladder may encroach into the well up to 6 inches, with a step distance between the rungs of 18 inches. The rungs themselves must be 12 inches wide or greater and must project no fewer than 3 inches away from the wall, but no further than 6 inches away from the wall. If there is a grate over the egress, it must be removable, without requiring any special tools for the removal.
All of these standards, both for the egress window and for the window well, are set by the IRC. An experienced contractor will be able to tell you whether or not your local area has any further requirements for the installation of an egress window. Cementing the spaces shut seems a little over-kill, consider replacing the glass, installing wire mesh, or boarding them up if you have too many windows.
What about those basement windows? You are here Home. Our Blog. December 03, By Dave light , house , bedroom 0 Comments. By installing a legal egress window, you can add a legal bedroom to your home while enjoying added safety and peace of mind in the process.
For more information, contact us today. You Need an Egress Window All residential building code requirements across the United States state that any habitable space must have at least one egress window. About the Author: Bryan Sebring. From design ideas to hiring a contractor, we hope this blog helps you in the process of remodeling your home.
Related Posts.
0コメント