The Legal Size for an Egress Window

Considerations

• According to Popular Mechanics, a bedroom is any room that contains a closet and is used for sleeping. The building inspector in your city has the right to designate a space as a bedroom based on the size of the room if it contains a closet. The inspector must put the safety and well-being of people living in the house above any costs to the homeowner. You must meet with a building inspector before turning a basement space into a bedroom or apartment. The required size of the window also depends on the age of the window. In Minnesota, for example, egress windows built and added to a home prior to 1983 do not have the same sizing regulations as those built after 1983. The older windows are slightly smaller than the modern ones.

Square Footage Requirements

• Popular Mechanics suggests installing an egress window with a 6-square foot opening. The site bases the number on an average opening of just under 6 feet. Because some cities look at the overall size of the opening and others only count the glass in the window, find out the exact dimensions for your city.

Height Requirements

• In addition to width requirements, the egress window must also meet certain height requirements. The bottom edge of the window must sit 44 inches or less from the floor, which lets residents access the windows from a standing position. The window itself cannot be taller than 44 inches. The Building Safety Department in Minnesota increases the maximum height between the window and floor to 48 inches and requires the egress window to be at least 24 inches tall.

Other Requirements

• The International Residential Code requires a minimum width of 20 inches for an egress window. The window must also open 36 inches or more from the window, which gives residents enough space to climb out of the window. Local code or state code may allow residents to keep a concrete or cement block near the window for faster escape.