What Are Egress Windows?
10/4/2014 2:12:00 PM
If you’re building a new house, you may have heard that your home will require egress windows to be code compliant. But just what are egress windows and how do you ensure that your home is compliant with building codes in your area?
In the sections below, we'll address what egress windows area, our egress window selection, and why egress windows are necessary.
What Are Egress Windows?
An egress window is a window that is required in a specific location of your home to provide a means of escape during an emergency. Egress windows are not special kinds of windows, however. Instead, they are standard double hung, casement, or sliding windows, they simply must meet the minimum size requirement to be considered egress windows.
Egress Windows by Weather Shield
Weather Shield offers a wide selection of window types and styles that qualify as egress windows set forth by the 2006 International Building Code. From a simple vinyl-clad double-hung window to an architectural grade aluminum-clad casement window to a modern fiberglass sliding window and every combination in between, Weather Shield has the product to meet your needs.
To learn more about our products that meet egress requirements, download our product catalogs below:
Why Are Egress Windows Necessary?
Egress windows are necessary to provide inhabitants with an emergency escape point in the event of a fire or other life threatening event in your home. Egress windows are not required in all rooms of the home, however—only in the rooms where people sleep.
If you have a basement in your home that contains bedrooms or is otherwise used as a bedroom itself, egress windows are required by code.
If your home construction pre-dates these code requirements, you may not be required to retrofit your home in the event that you replace your windows, but requirements vary from place to place, so be sure to check with your local building code office before planning your window replacement project.
Egress Window Installation
If you would like to learn more about our egress compliant windows or would like an estimate for your window replacement project, visit our dealer locator to find a Weather Shield dealer in your area or contact us directly and we’ll put you in touch with one of our premium dealers!
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