For new construction house, in a finished basement, if it has one separate room has no window or opening. Does it necessary to have some sort of ventilation? The air inside is smell.
A Finished basement is required to have a second Egress path to the exterior, so that would provide your ventilation.
Note: This would be separate from any ventilation for any appliances, which is another concern.
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Some AHJs are VERY lenient when it comes to “media rooms.” As in, they’ll allow a room to exist without the normal requirement for light and ventilation. Of course, all of this is outside of what HIs do. If it stinks report it and move on.
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If the basement has sleeping accomodations for a human/resident located in the basement of a dwelling, this room MUST have a NON-negotiable emergency egress window or door to the exterior of specific dimentions to allow the resident to evacuate the premises in the event of an emergency/fire. In the event of a Fire, the FD Investigators will determine if someone was using the basement as a sleeping quarter. Fines will apply and criminal charges too. The insurance company will not honor the claim, for sure! You will not be able to sleep with your dirty conscience if later you learn that someone die in a fire in that dwelling because he/she was trapped by smoke or flames and could not seek an scape route effectiveti and timely. Therefore, document it in your report to cover your liabilities and to be able to sleep with a clean consciousness. If during your inspection, you get the smallest clue that someone is sleeping in the basement, that a bedroom alike is setup in the basement you must document it/report it accordingly.
This does not aopy to basement game rooms or man-caves, TV rooms or family rooms located in the underground. It is presumed that the inhabitants will be awake and have time to evacuate timely. but not if one is sleeping…!
In MARYLAND: The window must have a minimum net clear opening height of 24 inches and a minimum net clear opening width of 20 inches, with the bottom of the opening not more than 44 inches above the floor.
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Forgot to mention: This egress window is not a regular double-hang window. The opening for evacuation must meet the FD Code minimum dimensions and must be a window that has a quick-release latch to open on ONE movement/action, no locks, security bars.
If you understand the purpose of the CODE, you can make your own discrimitation call on any inspection in the future.
I have met unscrupulous investors/flippers and landlords that could care less and will try to get around this regulation.
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A widow that is 20 x 24 inches will NOT meet the requirements for an egress window. A window that has the minimum 24 inch height must have a 30 inch width. Conversely a window with a minimum 20 inch width must have a 36 inch height.
Egress windows are not provided for ventilation as many are not operable and won’t have screens.
To answer your question: No. But the room can not be labeled as a bedroom.
Lusu ni. Can you describe the basement area in totality, please. Utility room, furnace room, etc.
Are there any windows in the basement what so ever, period?
Looking forward to your answer.
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If your question is a “heat source” as opposed to a “window” to open for “ventilation,” then yes, all finished rooms should have a heat source, (the exception being 4 season rooms or rooms on the interior not adjacent to an exterior wall, such as a powder room), and although baseboard heat would qualifiy it probably wouldn’t help the air quality in that area.
As for a window, in my area it’s not required, unless it’s considered a bedroom, then it should have a porper egress window or door directly to the exterior in that bedroom.
YMMV depending on jurisdiction.
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SECTION R303
LIGHT, VENTILATION AND HEATING
R303.1 Habitable rooms. Habitable rooms shall have an
aggregate glazing area of not less than 8 percent of the floor
area of such rooms. Natural ventilation shall be through windows,
skylights, doors, louvers or other approved openings to
the outdoor air. Such openings shall be provided with ready
access or shall otherwise be readily controllable by the building
occupants. The openable area to the outdoors shall be not
less than 4 percent of the floor area being ventilated.
Exceptions:
- The glazed areas need not be openable where the
opening is not required by Section R310 and a
whole-house mechanical ventilation system is
installed in accordance with Section M1505. - The glazed areas need not be installed in rooms
where Exception 1 is satisfied and artificial light is
provided that is capable of producing an average
illumination of 6 footcandles (65 lux) over the area
of the room at a height of 30 inches (762 mm) above
the floor level. - Use of sunroom and patio covers, as defined in Section
R202, shall be permitted for natural ventilation if
in excess of 40 percent of the exterior sunroom walls
are open, or are enclosed only by insect screening.
SECTION R310
EMERGENCY ESCAPE AND RESCUE OPENINGS
R310.1 Emergency escape and rescue opening required.
Basements, habitable attics and every sleeping room shall
have not less than one operable emergency escape and rescue
opening. Where basements contain one or more sleeping
rooms, an emergency escape and rescue opening shall be
required in each sleeping room. Emergency escape and rescue
openings shall open directly into a public way, or to a
yard or court that opens to a public way.
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