Replacement Egress Windows Basement

An egress window is a safe, code-compliant window that provides an emergency exit and allows natural light into your basement, improving safety and livability.

Egress windows can be installed in most basement walls, including poured concrete, block, and stone walls, as long as there is adequate clearance for the window well.

Most egress window installations are completed in one to two days, depending on wall material and site conditions; you can use your new exit as soon as we finish.

Properly installed egress windows provide a long-lasting emergency exit solution; routine checks on drainage components ensure continued performance.

The excavation for the window well is minimal and is carefully backfilled and landscaped to blend seamlessly, leaving no unsightly marks on your yard or home’s exterior.

The cost of professionally installing a basement egress window in your home typically ranges between $2,000 and $6,000, depending on several factors. This price includes parts and labor for the window hardware, foundation cutting and sealing, installing and sealing the window, and constructing the window well and steps.
Remember that once you have a properly installed egress window, you can include the square footage in your basement space in your home’s total livable square footage measurement to sell the house. This usually adds far more to the home’s market value and selling price than the homeowner invested in egress window installation for all but the smallest basements.

Several window types meet building code requirements and work well for basement egress window purposes.

Single-Hung Windows
Single-hung windows, also called single-sash windows, have an upper sash that doesn’t move and a lower one that does. In other words, the bottom part of the window slides up and down within the jamb of the window while the upper part is fixed in place. Ventilation moves through the bottom sash only.

Double-Hung Windows
With a double-hung (or double-sash) window, both sashes move up and down within the jamb of the window, and ventilation moves through both sashes if both are open. Thanks to the scientific principle that heat rises, warmer air escapes through the top sash, and cooler air flows through the bottom sash.

Casement Windows
If you don’t have a lot of wall space, casement windows are a good option since they require a minimum of just 8 square feet of net opening space. Similar in operation to a door, casement windows swing free on a hinge to create a wide opening. They are opened and closed by rotating a crank-style handle. Some models include a crank that can fold into the frame to avoid interfering with window treatments.

Sliding Windows
Sliding windows are a perfect choice when you want to let in the most light possible and have plenty of wall space. Sliding windows will require at least 16 square feet of net opening space.
To open, the windows slide from left to right. Since the opening is only half as wide as the whole window and the sash slides horizontally, sliding windows must be wider and taller than casement styles.

In older homes, especially those built before the 1940s, basements were never intended to be used as living or sleeping areas. They were created to serve as utility, storage, and laundry rooms and were typically given only small, narrow windows (sometimes, no windows at all).

Egress Window Sizing

Building codes now mandate basement window sizes. The intent is to ensure they can be used for egress purposes for building occupants and ingress for emergency crews such as firemen.

According to the International Residential Code (2018 revision), basement egress windows in a one- or two-family home up to three stories tall must be at least 20” wide by 24” tall when open, with a net clear opening of at least 821 square inches or 5.7 square feet. The windowsill must begin no more than 44 inches above the basement floor.

Do your existing basement windows measure up? If not, you need to install larger ones to meet current building code requirements.

Egress Window Wells

Building codes also require that windows situated beneath ground level must include a well or open space between the basement wall and the surrounding dirt and vegetation. The window well must be at least 36” wide and 36” long and as deep as necessary to clear the bottom of the window frame. If the window well exceeds 44” deep, then a fixed ladder or steps must be added.

You can add steps made of concrete blocks or timber. Many homeowners also include landscaping features in the window well, such as crushed rock, pebbles, or even potted plants.

Basement egress windows can be located beneath a deck or porch as long as enough clearance exists for an average-sized adult to exit through them. In other words, there should be at least 36” between the top of the window well and the bottom of the deck or porch joists.

Additional Factors

Because they are primarily for purposes of entry and escape, basement egress windows must open from the inside. Basement egress windows must also open completely, with no obstruction from the window sash. Anything covering the windows from the outside – such as screens, grills, bars, etc. – must be removable from the inside without needing a key or any tools.

Local building codes may include additional requirements for basement egress windows. SeepageSeal can advise you of any local requirements or guidelines for homes in your neighborhood. Contact us today at (630) 474-5325 for a free consultation and estimate.