I saw a house that has a bedroom in the basement and the window height is 45.5” above the floor. It is greater than 44 inches “above the floor.". The homeowner has a large enough well outside and a ladder installed in the well that is good to go.
Can the homeowner do anything inside to make the distance from the floor to the bottom of the window opening less than 44 inches, for example, attach a platform to the floor the same width as the window – basically a step – or install a ladder inside? I saw varying answers and I don’t think I saw mention of this is in the IRC.
This is in Montgomery County, Maryland. I need to see if there is anything like some states where if there are two exits already present, like two different sets of stairs out of the basement, then this is a moot point.
My thought is that in order to count as a “fix” the steps would need to be permanent (attached) to the wall. Temporary or movable steps are likely to get displaced over time.
I agree, I would also want to see permanent steps/platform. I am curious who would call out 1.5 inches too high on an existing home? What about .25 inches or 5 inches?
I call it out here (Northern CA) because the county code inspectors have been a real sticklers about it. Evidently, some deaths occurred in the huge wild fires several years ago that were directly attributed to egress window height. On a personal note, I had a window repair / installation company recently flat-out refuse to order and install retrofit windows on windows that were around 45.5" high. The window company was concerned about liability, and so am I.
Also… do you take into account the floor finishes?
Seems to me if there is a house fire and someone is fatally injured, that the 1.5 inches will become an issue at the court preceedings!
Is it Right or Wrong?
If you remodel an existing basement in Maryland you do not need an egress window. If you add a sleeping room in the basement you MUST have an egress window in that room. I never quite understood how they arrived at the 44" sill height. Seems a little high for children and even some adults. As some have mentioned the actual code wording does not exclude a step but liability would prevent me from suggesting it.
rcloyd
(Russell Cloyd, KY LIC #166164, IN LIC#HI02300068)
12
As a former building code official, i would accept the step or platform at the window solution as long as it was permanently attached and not easily moved from the window.
When only short by a wee bit, I have seen these (or similar) used a few times, and I’m good with that.
I include in my report a mention that they either need to stay in place, or be replaced with something better to the clients liking, as long as the replacement meets required standards.
One giveaway is they add a smoke detector to that room. You can bet if someone remodels a basement with a bathroom and a separate room with a door someone is going to use it for a bedroom.
You don’t do code inspections. If a buyer has a certain use in mind it is best to let them know up front what is permitted and what is not.
I recently did a rental licensing inspection (code) for a recently purchased property. It failed despite the previous owner using it for that very same purpose and the new buyer getting a home inspection pre-settlement. The home was completely remodeled in 2008. The law (code) for smoke & CO detectors had changed since then. Had the purchase inspector been doing his job properly this would have been revealed. Not only were the locations incomplete the alarms were all dated 2008 (older then 10 years - not suitable for rental occupancy).
It is my JOB to provide my client with the most accurate and complete information possible. The buyer for the above property incurred two un-anticipated expenses. Replacement of all smoke and COs and a second visit from the inspector - me.
