Thread: Casement Window in Bedroom

Inspected two story home in PLano TX last week. Second story bedroom had two windows. One was a fixed window, the other was a casement type mouted 8" AFF. When casement window is larger than 9 square feet and when fully the opened, the space was large enough for a grown person just to walk out of.

The only thing I could find incorrect with this was the window was required to have safety glass, could not find anything that referreed to fact it opened far enough for someone to fall out of. Have contacted city building department, and builder they both said there was no current code that prevented this.

I wrote up my concerns on the safety. Is there something I am missing.

Thanks

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That's a pretty dumb install. Makes me wonder if the builder didn't have that window left over from somewhere else.
I would recommend to the client they install a guardrail in front of the window. Little kids could fall out, bigger kids act stupid and could stumble out, an adult walking up or drunk could take a tumble.
Don't really care what the Builder or Code says on something like that, I still write it as Dangerous and Hazardous. Someone will get sued when somebody takes a tumble.
The other unfortunate thing about that is the outlet right up against the casing. Guardrails often look bad bolted to the casing. Looks much better if bolted to the wall next to the casing. In this case the latter install would probably block the outlet.

Originally Posted by ricky ellis

Inspected two story home in Plano TX last week. Second story bedroom had two windows..

IRC R613.2... Window sills: In dwelling units, where the opening of an operable window is located more than 72" above the finished grade or surface below, the lowest part of the clear opening shall be a minimum of 24" above the finished floor of the room in which the window is located...

Originally Posted by Markus Keller

I would recommend to the client they install a guardrail in front of the window.....

.....as long as the EERO requirements can still be met.

Originally Posted by ricky ellis

when fully the opened, the space was large enough for a grown person just to walk out of.

Which does not make it wide enough for an EERO - how wide (in inches) was the clear opening when the window was fully open?

At 8 inches or so - you have an effective DOOR not a window. (and a door to a drop off to death or serious personal injury.

You also have a lack of a threshold, landing, etc. for the STAIR.

Yes it requires a guard. Yes it is required to be tempered, and Yes it requires a landing. It appears OBVIOUS from the photo that the elevation exceeds 30" from grade.

It looks like that window has 'true divided panes'. If that's the case, according to the 2006 NJ IRC, it doesn't have to be safety glass.