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What are Egress Windows?
Egress windows are installed in bedrooms or sleeping areas so that in case of emergency a person can exit or firemen can enter through the bedroom window. For this reason, there are specific requirements to keep in mind when adding a bedroom to a structure.
According to the International Residential Code (IRC), egress window size requirements are as follows:
- Minimum width of opening: 20 in.
- Minimum height of opening: 24 in.
- Minimum net clear opening: 5.7 sq. ft. (5.0 sq. ft. for ground floor)
- Maximum sill height above floor: 44 in.
These regulations are fairly new so if you have an older structure, or are converting a commercial structure to include living quarters, make sure you keep it up to code for your own safety.
These windows not only have to be of a certain size, they also come with other necessities in order to enable peak performance.
- They must be operable from the inside without tools or keys.
- You can still have bars or grills attached to an egress window, as long as they too can be opened without tools and keys.
- When these windows are ajar, they must have an opening wide enough to crawl through.