Egress Window Well Size Requirements

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 well size requirements.

Remember when you re adding a bedroom to your home or basement you have to keep certain requirements in mind. 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. For ground floor maximum sill height above floor. 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.

The sill must be no higher than 44 inches from the ground. Minimum net clear opening. A permanent ladder or stairwell must be present if the window well is 44 inches or more below ground. Window wells greater than 44 inches in depth requires a permanently fixed ladder or steps to provide access.

Egress ladders and or steps are required on window wells deeper than 44 and must be permanently attached. This means that to meet egress window height requirements a bedroom window must be nearly 4 ft. This height requirement takes it out of the running for most basement egress situations. 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.

An egress ladder or step may encroach into well up to 6. Width x projection egress ladders and or steps. Windows can be of various total size but their free areas when open must be at least 5 7 square feet. Minimum height of opening.

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. The area of the window well shall allow the emergency escape and rescue opening to be fully opened. In order to meet irc requirements it must provide 9 square feet of floor area ladder. 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.

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. 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. Minimum width of opening. The egress well must not interfere with the egress window fully opening.

Wide and 4 ft. R310 2 3 1 ladder and steps.