Attic Egress Window Requirements

Having said that there are some broad standards dictated by the international residential code irc.

Attic egress window requirements.

This would imply that some egress windows are expected to be more than 15 or 20 ft. Ibc 1029 1 requires sleeping rooms below the 4th story to have emergency escape and rescue openings. Have a minimum opening height of at least 24 inches. In general the means of egress shall not narrow in the direction of travel.

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 minimum opening area of the egress window is 5 7 square feet. Have a minimum opening width of at least 20 inches. Attics are the worst place to be in a fire because heat and fire rise rapidly.

The window must open a minimum width of 20 inches. Vertical access can be a fixed internal stair ramp or exterior stair. Window wells greater than 44 inches in depth requires a permanently fixed ladder or steps to provide access. Habitable attics require a vertical access and emergency escape and rescue opening.

Have a minimum net opening area of at least 5 7 square feet. The minimum egress window opening is 20 wide. Stipulations placed on the exit discharge include a minimum width 44 inches or the width of the exit clear ceiling heights 8 feet and a prescribed slope of 1 12 or less. Irc r310 1 requires all sleeping rooms to have emergency escape and rescue openings however i think the irc is limited to 3 story residences.

Attic egress openings must. Make sure the basement window well has enough area to move around in and if the well is especially deep make sure you have a ladder attached to it for an easy. The window must open a minimum height of 24 inches. The minimum egress window opening height is 24 high.

The clear opening must add up to 5 7 square feet. Basement egress windows have special requirements. Since you re below ground you have to make sure that the window can still fully open without obstruction. It states that all egress windows must have a minimum width of 20 inches a minimum height of 24 inches minimum clearing of 5 7 square feet when opened and maximum sill height of 44 inches from the floor.

Since the staircase to the attic can act as a chimney for the fire to quickly spread it s necessary to have a secondary point of egress or exit. Permanent ladder or steps cannot encroach the required window well dimensions by more than 6 inches. A fixed stair or ramp is required on an attic that meets the habitable attic criteria unless a door directly to the exterior is installed in the space. The windowsill cannot be more than 44 inches off the floor.