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 size does an egress window need to be.
It is required for these windows to have a stair or some type of step ladder as a means of easy escape for guests or residents in the event of an emergency.
The minimum opening area of the egress window is 5 7 square feet.
The egress window must have a glass area of not less than 8 of the total floor area of room s for which it is servicing to allow the minimum amount of sufficient natural light.
These laws are very specific about what each room can and must have in terms of escape methods should an emergency situation occur.
Windows can be of various total size but their free areas when open must be at least 5 7 square feet.
Egress window and well requirements.
Egress windows should not be higher than 1 5m around 60 inches above the surface of the floor.
The area of a window well shall not be less than 9 square feet with a horizontal length width of no less than 36 inches.
An egress window must open at least 20 inches wide and 24 inches high with a net clear open area of 5 7 feet square.
According to a 4 year study by the national fire protection association an average of 130 people were killed and 940 injured in below grade residential fires each year and an average of 18 200 fires a year were.
The sill must be no higher than 44 inches from the ground.
The minimum egress window opening is 20 wide.
Egress basement windows are required to have a window well with an opening of 30 inches in depth and must be 760 mm from the basement wall.
Since they swing out from the bottom these will not make very suitable basement egress windows.
Therefore to achieve the required size these windows have to be bigger than you may want in your bedroom or basement.
They also need to be relatively large to meet the minimum size requirement for egress windows needing a space 28 inches to 60 inches wide and 23 5 inches to 60 inches high.
Start by installing egress basement escape windows in your basement egress windows increase light and livability in your basement and substantially increase the value of your home.
Ft almost twice the area of the egress casement window shown.
Minimum size gliding egress window gliding windows with horizontally sliding sashes that always fill half the possible window opening area also have to be big to meet egress requirements.
The distance should be good enough to allow easy escape even for short people.
This type of window is a bit trickier.
In case you install a sprinkler system in your room you do not need an outside window for an emergency exit.
The minimum egress window opening height is 24 high.
Sliding egress windows gliding or sliding egress windows slide open horizontally like sliding glass doors and must be at least 4x4 square feet to meet requirements.
They may actually trap you in case of a fire.
Basement egress window size.