Where a door opening having a threshold below the adjacent ground elevation serves as an emergency escape and rescue opening and is provided with a bulkhead enclosure, the bulkhead enclosure shall comply with Section R The net clear opening dimensions required by this section shall be obtained by the normal operation of the emergency escape and rescue opening from the inside.
Emergency escape and rescue openings with a finished sill height below the adjacent ground elevation shall be provided with a window well in accordance with Section R Exception: Basements used only to house mechanical equipment and not exceeding total floor area of square feet All emergency escape and rescue openings shall have a minimum net clear opening of 5.
Exception: Grade floor openings shall have a minimum net clear opening of 5 square feet 0. The minimum net clear opening height shall be 24 inches mm. The minimum net clear opening width shall be 20 inches mm. Emergency escape and rescue openings shall be operational from the inside of the room without the use of keys, tools or special knowledge. The minimum horizontal area of the window well shall be 9 square feet 0. The area of the window well shall allow the emergency escape and rescue opening to be fully opened.
Exception: The ladder or steps required by SectionR Window wells with a vertical depth greater than 44 inches mm shall be equipped with a permanently affixed ladder or steps usable with the window in the fully open position.
Ladders or steps required by this section shall not be required to comply with Sections R Ladders or rungs shall have an inside width of at least 12 inches mm , shall project at least 3 inches 76 mm from the wall and shall be spaced not more than 18 inches mm on center vertically for the full height of the window well. Bulkhead enclosures shall provide direct access to the basement.
The bulkhead enclosure with the door panels in the fully open position shall provide the minimum net clear opening required by Section R Bulkhead enclosures shall also comply with Section R Your best bet is to look for an egress window kit that features a window well with inside flanges rather than trying to secure the well from the outside.
If you choose this innovative option, you will only need to excavate a hole that is slightly larger than the footprint of the window well. Using the more common window well with an exterior flange design, will require digging a significantly greater amount of soil we estimate a least a foot on each side outside of the window. Window wells expand and collapse as a result of the nesting and shipping process, so make sure if you buy a inch well, that it is mounted with 50 inches being the inside dimension, otherwise, your cover may not fit.
For our installs, we use the St. Paul Corrugated Window Well, which carries a year warranty and we attach inside flanges in-house. Plan on spending at least a few hours digging your hole. The idea of renting a piece of equipment to do the digging might be tempting, but skip it if you can. You could end up with a big mess and a bigger hole than you actually need. Once the hole is excavated and secured, the next step is cut a hole in your foundation using concrete cutting saws to enlarge the opening in your foundation wall.
This is the one part of the installation where I believe hiring a professional is well worth the expense. A pro can cut more precisely and prevent you from potentially getting injured. Having a pro on hand will also make removing the wall slug easier. You can ask your concrete cutter to quarter the concrete block for easier removal and disposal.
Traditionally, the next step in the process involves building a wood frame for the window that is glued, caulked and nailed to the foundation wall. Incorporating a pre-fabricated steel frame into your project will allow you to skip the step of constructing an eight-piece wooden frame and will also serve as a more structurally superior solution, invulnerable to damage from rot, mold or termites. The ExoFrame may also allow the window to sit higher in the opening, which will let in more light.
A steel frame will also make your actual window installation easier. To install the ExoFrame, you apply a layer of butyl gasket along the outer edge to help seal and waterproof the frame.
You can usually hammer out those kind of imperfections. Then use shims if needed to level the frame. Once level, simply secure the frame to the wall, using an impact wrench to drive your screws into the concrete. Again, with the ExoFrame no exterior trim is needed because the special concrete screws and butyl gasket create a worry-free seal against the foundation wall.
Fill the floor below the level of the windowsill with to 1, pounds of rock. To ensure proper drainage and eliminate settling, carefully tamp down the back-filled dirt around your well.
Before installing the window, seal the edges of the ExoFrame with a high-quality, weather-resistant silicone caulk. Then have your partner pass the window to you, slide it into the ExoFrame and squeeze it against the silicone caulk. The window we use comes with interior mounting straps that pass through the ExoFrame when it slides into place and easily fasten into concrete.
See diagram above. If you do your homework and leave yourself open to integrating newer materials into your project, you should be enjoying your light-filled basement in no time.
Theo Stephens is an entrepreneur who has installed thousands of egress windows using a p atented process that is faster, safer and more cost-effective than traditional installation methods. He sells window egress kits to contactors and DIYers across the country.
Facebook Twitter Youtube Pinterest. More from EHT:. How To Install Egress Windows. Problem-Solving To prevent potential water problems in the future, determine if you have any existing drainage issues. Window Selection The type of window you choose may influence your measurements.
Dig in At this point, most of the prep work is out of the way and the real fun or at least manual labor is about to begin. Making the Cut Once the hole is excavated and secured, the next step is cut a hole in your foundation using concrete cutting saws to enlarge the opening in your foundation wall. Installing the Frame Traditionally, the next step in the process involves building a wood frame for the window that is glued, caulked and nailed to the foundation wall.
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