Egress Window Well Size Requirements

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 well size requirements.

R310 2 3 1 ladder and steps. Remember when you re adding a bedroom to your home or basement you have to keep certain requirements in mind. This height requirement takes it out of the running for most basement egress situations. The minimum horizontal area of the window well shall be 9 square feet 0 9 m2 with a minimum horizontal projection and width of 36 inches 914 mm.

Wide and 4 ft. Minimum net clear opening. Width x projection egress ladders and or steps. 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.

Minimum height of opening. 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. To meet egress requirements these horizontally sliding windows must be at least 4 ft.

Minimum width of opening. The ladder must be at lease 12 inches wide and project no less than 3 inches from the window well. This means that to meet egress window height requirements a bedroom window must be nearly 4 ft. 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.

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. In order to exit your home from a basement window or to accommodate rescue personnel your egress window well needs to be large enough to admit a person of any size. 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. In order to meet irc requirements it must provide 9 square feet of floor area ladder.

An egress ladder or step may encroach into well up to 6. Windows can be of various total size but their free areas when open must be at least 5 7 square feet. Window wells greater than 44 inches in depth requires a permanently fixed ladder or steps to provide access. A permanent ladder or stairwell must be present if the window well is 44 inches or more below ground.

The egress well must not interfere with the egress window fully opening. The sill must be no higher than 44 inches from the ground.