The egress window process is an intensive one that professionals are best suited to. Although many people are tempted to DIY home improvement projects, when it comes to the egress window process, with all the permits involved and codes you need to adhere to in order to turn your basement into a legal, living space, as well as the fact that you need to excavate around your house and cut through the foundation… The basement egress window process is easy to make mistakes with, leaving you needing to hire professionals to come out and fix anyway.
Here’s what you need to know about the egress window process, from the requirements egress windows are subject to, to the permits involved, to the actual installation. You’ll soon see why it’s vital to leave this kind of job to the professionals at Peak Windows. With so many necessary factors, a trained professional will get the job done quickly, effectively, safely, and leave you with beautiful, functional egress windows that are up to code which will last for years to come.
Egress Window Requirements
Egress windows are designed to be used as an escape route in the event of an emergency. If you are planning to remodel your basement to be a living space and increase the value of your home by putting bedrooms or living rooms or what have you down there, you will be required to have egress windows installed. Although egress windows provide all the benefits of normal windows – light, ventilation, increased home value – since they serve a very specific purpose, they must meet certain safety regulations.
The codes for egress windows vary from state, county, and city. Peak Windows will find the specific codes for your area in order to ensure that your egress windows are legal and safe. The first part of the egress window process is finding these codes and ensuring that your space will be able to accommodate them.
Although they vary, in general, egress windows must:
- Have a width of at least 20 inches
- Have a height of at least 24 inches
- Have an opening of at least 5.7 square feet
- And have a sill no more than 44 inches off the ground
If they are installed below ground level, they will require a window well dug under the frame of your house that is a minimum of 36 inches wide and 36 inches wide. Should the well be deeper than 44inches, steps or a ladder will need to be installed, in order to ensure that people can get out of the well easily in the event of an emergency.
Additionally, egress windows must open from the inside, open all the way to at least a 90 degree angle, and have a completely clear opening, so that a fully grown adult and emergency personnel can get in and out of the basement with ease.
What Does The Egress Window Process Involve?
The first part of the egress window process is finding the codes for your area. As you can imagine, since egress windows must meet certain regulations and serve a specific purpose, the egress window process is more involved than your typical window installation. With how much work goes into the egress window process, and the standards they must adhere to, it’s vital to work with professionals like Peak Windows to ensure that the job is done right and the windows meet code requirements and are installed properly.
Installing An Egress Window
Before any work can be done, the proper permits must be obtained, as you are altering your building and the surrounding area. Once the permits have been issued and it’s been ensured that you can have windows installed where you want them to be, then the true egress window process begins.
- Excavation
Before any window installation can occur, the egress window process involves excavating an area around where the window is going to be. This is usually a large hole that is several feet across, though the depth and size will depend on your foundation and on how far underground the window is going to be.
- Cutting The Opening
If you have an older home, you may already have egress windows – but ones that don’t meet current safety standards. Regardless of whether you are trying to expand your current windows or add new ones, the next step in the egress window process is cutting an opening through the foundation of your home for the windows.
- Laying Gravel
If you need to have a window well installed because you have a window below ground level, the next part of the egress window process is laying gravel. Here, the team will lay gravel down from the foundation outward, to drain any water that gets into the window well.
- Installing The Well
After the gravel has been set, our team will fit your window well, which will either have steps built into it or need to have them added.
- Installing The Window
After the window well has been installed, the next part of the egress window process is the actual window installation. The only real difference in this part of the egress window process from normal window installation is the window itself and their location.
- Cleaning Up
Once everything is installed, our team will backfill any gaps, clean up the area, ensure that everything is working properly and safely, and ensure that we leave the area cleaner than we found it.
The Importance Of Hiring Professionals To The Egress Window Process
It’s important to hire professionals like Peak Windows for the egress window process. From drainage to pipes to wiring to permits to meeting codes to filling in gaps that could cause your basement to flood, the egress window process is a complicated one. Professionals have the experience and equipment to install your egress windows both properly and much faster than you could yourself.
Peak Windows offers exceptional egress window services. If you’re looking to transform your basement into a living space and improve the comfort, value, and safety of your home, don’t hesitate to contact us for your free consultation today!