Basement Egress Window Installation
Our team at Perma-Seal offers professional basement egress window installation services for new egress windows in Chicago and NW Indiana.
Windows in a basement are a necessity. Not only do they provide a source of natural light, but they can help with ventilation and can be an emergency egress (escape) point. But most basement windows are the original ones installed by the builder of the home, which means they are usually cheap, single-pane glass that is now drafty, rusty, and difficult to open and close.
We can help you plan the installation of egress windows as part of a basement pre-finishing design. Perma-Seal can offer you a variety of energy-efficient egress windows that can seal, renew and brighten the lower living space of your home.
Illinois Basement Egress Window Requirements
Please be sure to consult an expert when choosing a window for your basement. Code requirements often change and our bullet points below should only be used as a general guideline when considering where to place your new windows.
- The egress window must be openable from the inside without the use of keys, tools, or special knowledge.
- If there is more than one sleeping room in a basement, a means of egress is required in each sleeping room.
- It must provide an unobstructed opening with a minimum area of 5.7 sq. ft. (This requirement drops to 5 sq. ft. for grade floor or below grade openings).
- The height of the clear opening must be at least 24″ and the width must be at least 20″.
- The sill height must not be more than 44″ above the floor.
- If the sill height is below grade, the window must have a window well.
- If required, the window well must be at least 9 sq. ft. in an area with a horizontal projection and a width of at least 36″ each.
- Window wells deeper than 44″ must have permanent steps or a ladder that do not impede the opening of the window.
Why You Should Install Basement Egress Windows
Imagine having a living-room-sized picture window in your basement, it would certainly help transform your dark, dingy basement into a comfortable and bright living space. Perma-Seal can install almost any size, code-compliant, egress-friendly window well and protect it with a new drainage system.
Not only do these large windows add a lot of natural light to this area of your home during the day, but they also work as an extra safety feature. In fact, most municipal codes state that if you have a living area in your basement, you need to have an escape or “egress” window installed. These windows can be opened up and have built-in stair steps that make it easy for you or another family member to get to ground level in case of an emergency, like a fire on the first floor.
Contact Us For New Egress Window Installation Services
If you’d like to schedule a consultation with a member of our team to discuss adding new basement egress windows, please contact us today.
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