Office Policy for Basement Emergency Escape Windows, per IRC
Emergency Escape and Rescue Openings
- Basements with habitable space and every sleeping room shall have at least one openable emergency escape and rescue opening.
- Where basements contain one or more sleeping rooms, emergency egress and rescue openings shall be required in each sleeping room, but shall not be required in adjoining areas of the basement. (This is taken directly from the 2003 IRC.)
- When an emergency escape and rescue opening is provided in the unfinished part of a basement it shall be sufficient for the opening required for non-sleeping finished areas.
- A "bulkhead enclosure" (Bilco door) does meet the requirements for an emergency escape and rescue opening when it provides direct access to the basement, and with the door panels in the fully open position it provides the minimum net clear opening. (This can be found in the IRC under "Emergency Escape and Rescue Openings".)