Basement egress - InspectionNews

Mike Huppi · #1 (**permalink**) 06-07-2007, 07:32 PM

I am trying to determine if a room has egress in a basement and am having a brain lapse.

The room has a door to a family room and a door to a bathroom which goes to the laundry room which goes back to the family room.

The window is 50" from the floor and the window is 21" wide and 32" high.

So does this room have to have the window the correct size for egress. My books say escape to the exterior, but is that the exterior of the room or the exterior of the home.

Mike

I think it should have a larger window to exit the home. The home is listed as it being a bedroom. It does have heat, power and a closet.

Jerry Peck · #2 (**permalink**) 06-07-2007, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Huppi

The window is 50" from the floor and the window is 21" wide and 32" high.

The home is listed as it being a bedroom. It does have heat, power and a closet.

The maximum allowable height for the window sill (not the 'sill', but the 'bottom of the opening') is 44" above the floor.

The minimum opening size is 5.0 sq ft, and 21" by 32" = 672 sq in / 144 = 4.67 sq ft.

The window is both too high and too small.

What about a window well outside (it's a basement)?

What about natural ventilation (4% of the area of the room) and natural light (8% of the area of the room)?

Mike Huppi · #3 (**permalink**) 06-07-2007, 10:07 PM

There is no well it goes onto the ground that is why I said it was 50" off the floor or ground sorry, so there is no well. The base of the window was level with the ground.

To be honest I did not look at that with the ventilation and natural light. So I dont have the exact square footage of the room to figure it out.

The room was about 12x12 and the window was 42 wide slider and 32 high.

Jerry Peck · #4 (**permalink**) 06-08-2007, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Huppi

The room was about 12x12 and the window was 42 wide slider and 32 high.

The window is too small for the 8% minimum for natural light.

Which also makes half of the window too small for the 4% minimum for natural ventilation.

12' x 12' = 144 sf x 144 = 20,736 sq in

20,736 x 0.08 = 1,659 sq in ... 42" x 32" = 1,344 sq in (approximately 6-1/2% instead of 8%)

20,736 x 0.04 = 830 sq in ... 21" x 32" = 672 sq in (approximately 3% instead of 4%)

Michael Greenwalt · #5 (**permalink**) 06-08-2007, 11:58 AM

Because the window is at ground level the window size can be reduced to 5.0 sq. ft with the minimum length and width sizes met. The egress through the laundry and bathroom do not apply. Had one yesterday, rented out as an apartment with the only egress through a garage, no windows in basement. Unfortunatly the basment renters weren't there to get my explanation on the necessity for providing proper egress.

Jerry Peck · #6 (**permalink**) 06-08-2007, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Greenwalt

Because the window is at ground level the window size can be reduced to 5.0 sq. ft with the minimum length and width sizes met.

Did you notice this when I posted it above?

"The minimum opening size is 5.0 sq ft, and 21" by 32" = 672 sq in / 144 = 4.67 sq ft."

That window does not even make 5.0 sf. That's one of the problems.

Mike Huppi · #7 (**permalink**) 06-08-2007, 08:49 PM

Yes you are right thanks for the response Jerry.

I did put that there was no egress last night.

Thank you for your insight and response. I learn new things every day on here.