Egress Window Well Size

A permanent ladder or stairwell must be present if the window well is 44 inches or more below ground.

Egress window well size.

The ladder must be at lease 12 inches wide and project no less than 3 inches from the window well. The egress well must extend below the window about 12 depending on the egress window well model chosen. A ladder or steps must be permanently placed if the well is deeper than 44 inches. The egress window must meet the requirements and the egress well must supplement it.

The area of the window well shall allow the emergency escape and rescue opening to be fully opened. In order to meet irc requirements it must provide 9 square feet of floor area ladder. Window wells serving an egress window shall not be less than 9 square feet in area with a horizontal length width of no less than 36 inches. To ensure you install the right egress for your basement we ll break down the residential window well code requirements you ll need to abide by.

Egress wells must accommodate the full opening of the egress window. In order to exit your home from a basement window or to accommodate rescue personnel your egress window well needs to be large enough to admit a person of any size. Window wells greater than 44 inches in depth requires a permanently fixed ladder or steps to provide access. The bottom area must be 9 feet square.

See the installation instructions to determine the exact measurement. It must be at least 5 7 square feet that is at least 20 inches wide by 24 inches high with an opening no higher than 44 inches from the floor. In the event that an egress well needs a ladder or steps the ladder can be no narrower than 12 inches. Add 12 the egress well must extend above the grade level ground level at least 4 inches.

In addition the egress window requirements for basements specifies that they be at least 36 inches in height and width with a fully functioning opening.