What Is Egress?

A Definition of Egress
egress \EE-gress\, noun: 1. The act of going out or leaving, or the right or freedom to leave; departure. 2. A means of going out or leaving; an exit; an outlet.

Ultimatley for the homwowner and their loved ones it means

EMERGENCY ESCAPE WHEN YOU NEED IT!

"Keep in mind that IRC code is about a Fireman, in full gear, getting in to get you out in the event that you are incapacitated and need rescued."

IRC Criteria for Egress
An egress window must satisfy all four IRC criteria:

• Minimum width of opening: 20 inches.
• Minimum height of opening: 24 inches.
• Minimum net clear opening: 5.7 square feet (5.0 square feet for ground floor).
• Maximum sill height above floor: 44 inches.

A Practical Application - Do the Math!
In reviewing the above figures, you might assume that a 20-inch by 24-inch window would be acceptable for egress. Those dimensions would yield a net clear opening of only 3.3 square feet. To achieve the required net clear opening of 5.7 square feet, a 20-inch wide window would have to be 42 inches high. Likewise, a 24-inch high window would have to be 35 inches wide.

Basement Emergency Escape Windows, per the IRC - A Summary

• 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.
• 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" 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.