Egress Windows

Building or buying your dream home is one of the biggest purchases you’ll make in your entire life. After a lot of searching and a lot of time worrying and deciding, the keys are in your hand and you’re finally home. Now the after-purchase effect begins. You start to worry about what needs to be done to make sure your home is in perfect shape. Are the windows good enough? What’s the best way to keep your home energy efficient? Most importantly of all – is your home safe for you and your family? This is one question which can keep homeowners up at night. The worst case scenario isn’t one you should obsess over, but being prepared is always important when it comes to owning your own place. One important safety measure to keep in mind is having Egress Windows.

An egress window may not be a familiar term to many homeowners. If you purchased an older home, or have lived in your home for many years, then you most likely don’t have egress windows. The term egress literally means ‘to emerge’, as in emerging from your dwelling and escaping your home to safer grounds. Homes with egress windows are much better equipped to help family members get out of the home quickly in case of a fire or another disaster. The entire point of having an egress window is to allow you to escape from danger if your home ever catches fire or takes damage. It allows you get out easily, but it also allows rescue workers to get in and rescue you if need be. As mentioned, many older homes don’t include egress windows in places where you sleep. If you’re looking to update your windows or make sure your basement window is up to code then investing in an egress window is what has to be done.

Unless you know how to put a window in then it may be a little difficult for your to do so yourself. Hiring a reliable building service like Kirk Enterprises, Inc can help. The regulations for egress windows are fairly new and a lot of homes aren’t up to code. These regulations include the following measurements:

• Minimum height of your opening should be 24in
• Minimum width of your opening should be 20in
• Minimum net clear opening should be 5.9 sq. ft., or 5.0 sq. ft. for ground floors
• Minimum sill height above the floor should be 44in

Following these regulations can be difficult for some homeowners. Widening and cutting new holes for your window is a delicate process and shouldn’t be taken on without the proper tools. Finding a reliable contractor will result in a much quicker project and peace of mind that your home is safe for both you and your family.