Egress Window Well Size Requirements

Minimum net clear opening.

Egress window well size requirements.

An egress ladder or step may encroach into well up to 6. R310 2 3 1 ladder and steps. Window wells greater than 44 inches in depth requires a permanently fixed ladder or steps to provide access. Remember when you re adding a bedroom to your home or basement you have to keep certain requirements in mind.

A permanent ladder or stairwell must be present if the window well is 44 inches or more below ground. The sill must be no higher than 44 inches from the ground. To ensure you install the right egress for your basement we ll break down the residential window well code requirements you ll need to abide by. Egress window and well requirements an egress window must open at least 20 inches wide and 24 inches high with a net clear open area of 5 7 feet square.

Minimum width of opening. The egress well must not interfere with the egress window fully opening. The area of the window well shall allow the emergency escape and rescue opening to be fully opened. Minimum height of opening.

Window wells serving an egress window shall not be less than 9 square feet in area with a horizontal length width of no less than 36 inches. The ladder or steps required by section r310 2 3 1 shall be permitted to encroach not more than 6 inches 152 mm into the required dimensions of the window well. Windows can be of various total size but their free areas when open must be at least 5 7 square feet. In order to meet irc requirements it must provide 9 square feet of floor area ladder.

The ladder must be at lease 12 inches wide and project no less than 3 inches from the window well. Size the horizontal area of the window well needs to be a minimum of nine square feet with a minimum horizontal projection and vertical width of 36 inches. Width x projection egress ladders and or steps. To meet egress requirements these horizontally sliding windows must be at least 4 ft.

Egress ladders and or steps are required on window wells deeper than 44 and must be permanently attached. Wide and 4 ft. The area of the window well shall allow the emergency escape and rescue opening to be fully opened. For ground floor maximum sill height above floor.

This means that to meet egress window height requirements a bedroom window must be nearly 4 ft. The distance from the egress window to the back of the egress well must be at least 36 the minimum area of the egress well must be 9 square feet.