Egress bedroom windows

If you have a basement that has a bedroom, recreation room, den, family room, media room, office, or home gym. All of these rooms are required to have a means of egress.

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. The minimum egress window opening height is 24" high.

The minimum egress window opening is 20" wide. Egress window wells are required where the bottom of the egress window is below ground level. The egress well must not interfere with the egress window fully opening. The distance from the egress window to the back of the Egress well must be at least 36" The minimum area of the egress well must be 9 square feet. Egress ladders and or steps are required on window wells deeper than 44" and must be permanently attached.

In fact, most people can do this. I see no need for a home inspector to measure windows to justify recommendations for added safety. A home inspector should call this a safety hazard and recommend correction of this condition, or recommend not using the room as a bedroom. The images below show a nice example of such a room. The seller of this home was using the room as an office, not a bedroom. Nevertheless, I added a comment in my report mentioning that the windows in the first-floor office were much too high for proper egress, and the room should not be used as a bedroom.

Skip to primary navigation Skip to main content Reuben Saltzman July 5, What is egress? The net clear opening must be at least 5. This allows your family to quickly exit—or first responders to quickly enter. Local requirements for basement windows may vary. Check with your local building officials to learn more about area guidelines in your neighborhood.

There are several styles of windows that work well for basements and meet building code requirements. These windows operate like a door, swinging free to provide a wide opening.

Casement windows open by rotating a handle. Pella casement windows feature a crank that folds away. That way, the crank won't get in the way of window treatments. This window must have at least 8 square feet of net opening. Sliding windows are great for adding more light to spacious basements.

These windows have to be wider and taller because the opening is only half as wide as the window. This is due to the sash, which slides horizontally. Sliding windows open by shifting the sash from left to right. Some Pella models include extra-durable tandem nylon rollers. These rollers give even more effortless operation. This window must have at least 16 square feet of net opening. Basement escape windows are a must-have for downstairs living spaces.

They can be a lifesaving tool in an emergency. Meet with your local Pella professionals to find the right solution when you're redoing your basement. Study commissioned by Pella, You are now subscribed to Pella offers and inspiration. There was an error saving your information. Find a Showroom Find a Showroom Find. Your Preferred Showroom.