basement egress

[don wagner]

I'm looking at building a new house with a 1,000 sq. ft. basement in the Greensboro NC area and my question is this. I know according to code that any basement with bedrooms needs an egress window to allow for escape. my questions are, does each bedroom need an egress window, or if I install a 6' patio door in the main open area adjoining the bedrooms with walk up stairs to the outside, do I still need the egress windows in the bedrooms?

Thanks.

[Steven Turetsky]

Yes. each room used for sleeping must have an emergency egress, although it does not necessarily have to be a window. See IRC R310.

[Mark Fisher]

Isn't there an exemption when sprinklers are present?

[Aaron Miller]

310.1. No exemption for sprinklers.

[Steven Turetsky]

Although this is a bit off subject, I thought the attached NFPA 101 matrix may be helpful to those what may like to download it.

[Jerry Peck]

Isn't there an exemption when sprinklers are present?

In the building code, yes if the sprinkler systems meets certain criteria, but not in the residential code.