The 411 on Basement Egress Windows
If your home has a livable or sleeping area in the basement, then you might already know all about egress windows and why you would need one. If you're unsure or just recently decided to convert your basement area to a bedroom or living area, then read ahead for more information...
What is an Egress Window?
An egress window or a 'scapewel' is a required window in a dwelling that is there for the purpose of emergency exit if needed. The state requirements make it so that this window must be large enough and low enough to accomodate occupants should they need to escape through it in the case of an emergency. The photo above shows what this type of window can look like from the inside of a home's basement.
How Do I Know For Sure if I Need One?
If you do have a livable/sleeping area in your basement, then Wisconsin code would require that you have two means of exit from that area. The first can be your stairway or means of getting from the basement to your first floor. The second needs to be an exit to the outside of the dwelling from that same space. In many basement situations, an egress window is the safest and most economical way to keep your home safe in the case of a fire emergency. Does your basement sleeping area have two ways of exit?
Are There Other Benefits to Having an Egress Window?
Aside from the safety requirement to have a basement egress window, there are also a few benefits that make adding one of these to your home a good idea. First of all, depending on the type of egress window and well that you choose, adding one of these can bring a considerable amount of natural light to your dark, downstairs space. Next, a basement egress window can actually increase the value of your home by allowing you extra saleable square footage that you might not have had before. Finally, most all of the window wells are easily added to exisitng home plans. Many even offer planting space on the "step" area of the well to help with the aesthetic appeal of the window. It's even possible to add "dome covers" (as seen to the photo on the right) to help keep rain/leaves/etc. from falling into the well.
What are Some of the Wisconsin Egress Window Requirements?
Wisconsin's basement egress window requirements have three main components: window height, areaways, and light/ventilation/size. For height, no egress window can be more than 60" above the floor of the space. Ideally, an egress window should be 46" or less from the ground, and if it is between 46" and 60" then a permanent step needs to be in place. Next, there is a requirement that the window have an areaway, or a window well space. You can see in photos above that this space needs to be as wide as the window, and depending on how deep the well is, steps or a ladder need to be in place to allow easy exit. Finally, there is a requirment which states that the window must be large enough to provide natural light into the room. The technical requirement for this is that 8% of the square footage of the space be window. The window must always be openable from the inside and the absolute minimum size for the overall window is 20" X 24".
If you think that you may need an egress window in your home's basement area, please feel free to give us a call at 608-868-6228. With all of the state requirments, we can make it easy for you to make sure that your basement area is safe in case of an emergency!
For more detailed information on state requirments, visit: http://docs.legis.wi.gov/code/admin_code/sps/safety_and_buildings_and_environment/320_325/321/II/03/5/b/4/d.
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