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Need Help - Egress for basement windows

6 years ago

Need help identifying a solution that would meet Egress requirements for a basement window opening (30" tall by 60" wide). I am told a sliding window wont work and the casement options are only 36" wide.

I believe we would need 40" wide window to get 5 sqft opening after accounting for frame. At this size we wouldn't be able to open it in the window well which is 36" wide.

Any suggestions on what might work?

Thx

Featured Answer

PRO

Windows on Washington Ltd

6 years ago

Whats the net clear opening on that 30" wide window? You are probably right that a 60" tall window (in a DH) won't get you enough height or aggregate opening size to get to egress.

A 30" by 60" casement in the window that we normally use would get you more than enough size and clearance with the egress hinge on it.

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Comments (6)

PRO
toddinmn
6 years ago
a typical vinyl casement window will usually meet 5.0 square feet with a28"x42" actual window size with egress hardware.
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Code only talks about clear openings and the height that openings should be from the floor level. The code does not specify there should be a min floor clearance in front of the opening or any other obstruction. It is mainly for emergency rescue teams like a firefighter to be able to get through that opening with full gear including the oxygen tank. If you have an older person using a bedroom or this is a child's bedroom having anything in front or having nothing there, they will not be able to get out...But someone can get in and rescue them. No building inspector or fire marshal can tell you otherwise unless the code is changed and there is a clearance requirement something like you have for a fireplace clearance which clearly shows a diagram that specifies the area where there shouldn't be any combustible material and the distance in 4 different directions or like you have for the Electrical panel that shows the area to be kept clear for access. The ingress only specifies the sill height and the min opening size.
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R2 D2
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks toddinmm, do all casement windows open to the outside or is there an option to open it to the inside? our window well is only 36" deep so a 42" wide window will only fit if we widen the window well
R2 D2
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks Windows on Washington!! - the opening is 60" wide and 30" high. what is the widest casement window available?
PRO
toddinmn
6 years ago
A sliding window would work in that size, should give over 8.5 square feet.

Unless you can make the opening a little taller I don't think a casement will work. The slider would work best but it is not to hard to make the opening taller and it would only take an inch or so. You would have to use 2 Windows with a casement since max width is around 36"" . So 36" wide egress casement mulled to a 24" wide casement or deadlite.
trickyputt
6 years ago
The way window wells were explained to me was that I was to imagine a firefighter in full gear with an airtank on his back trying to get in and save property or worse get people out of that hole. I stood in the wells and considered them. Then I promptly made them bigger than the 3x3 we were set for our fire code. I will not use 5, even if it is minimum code.

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