Basement emergency exit window

Finish a Basement Apartment Safely with Egress Window Wells TAGS: | | | | | |

To finish a basement apartment safely includes having a “means of egress” – a building code requirement that calls for an easy escape in the event of an emergency. But don’t look at your window wells as an obligation – think of the opportunities they could offer instead. Egress window wells are not just a building code requirement – they offer a number of additional benefits that can help make a basement apartment much more enjoyable. When you’re planning to install your basement window wells, consider the advantages of the different rooms you could install them in: Kitchen: There are …Continue reading

Basement-Apartment-for-Rent

Meeting Egress Requirements with a Basement Rental Apartment: Making the Most of your Space TAGS: | | | | | |

Over the course of the next few blog posts, we’ll be examining some of the best ways to expand your home and make use of your available basement space. In this post we will address the right way to meet egress requirements for a finished basement turned rental apartment. America is in the midst of a crisis right now – even a couple of years after the recession supposedly ended. The problem is that millions of American homeowners have been hit hard by the housing crash and now owe more on their homes than their properties are actually worth. One …Continue reading

Colored pea gravel gives an egress well a colorful look.

Color and Crunch for your Basement Window Well TAGS: | | |

A means of egress is a necessary part of national building code – but just because something’s necessary, doesn’t mean it can’t look cool. If you’re installing a basement window well, think about shaking things up. One option is by choosing an unusual backfill product. Window wells don’t need to be boring. We’ve already covered how they can be used as basement gardens, for growing window boxes filled with flowers or fresh vegetables, but another option for getting a cool look for your well is to mix up the material you use for backfilling. Backfilling is a vital part of …Continue reading

Complete Egress Kits

Installing an Egress Window? We Take the Guesswork Out TAGS: | | | |

If you’re thinking of installing an egress window in your home, we can help you get everything you need with a single click. Last Christmas, I bought a new iPhone, and a whole load of accessories that were on sale. And what did I discover when I got home? That none of the on-sale accessories worked with this season’s latest iPhone. It’s a perennial problem – making sure the accessories and extras you buy fit the product you intend them for – and it extends far beyond just mobile phones. It even extends to home construction supplies (I can’t be …Continue reading

Caveman

Cavemen Were Smart. Live Like One in a Finished Basement TAGS: | | | |

A finished basement gives all the benefits cavemen used to rave about. Take advantage. Back in prehistoric times, our early ancestors used to live in caves. This wasn’t just a matter of sheltering from the elements – at also made a lot more sense than building huts or lean-tos; which required a lot of work and materials to construct, and didn’t provide nearly as much shelter as mother nature did. Caves – built as they were from meters of impenetrable rock – were incredibly well insulted. As a result, they were a place cavemen could shelter from the heat in …Continue reading

RockWell Egress Wells

Smart Moves to Keep Your Basement Dry TAGS: | | | | | | | | |

Basements get damp. It’s one of the natural laws of the universe – like how when you drop a piece of toast, it always lands butter-side down. But there are things you can do to keep your finished basement dry, fresh and welcoming. For many homeowners, adding egress windows helped eliminate their damp problem – as it gave a free-flowing source of fresh air that helped expel lingering moisture. But if you’re deciding to finish your basement, there are some other tips and techniques you can use to minimize or eliminate the risk of dampness. The first is to consider …Continue reading

Installing tile flooring in a finished basement.

Tips for Installing Tile Flooring in Your Basement TAGS: | | | |

Finishing your basement is a big step towards adding extra living space – and resale value – to your home. But some smart choices now can really pay off in the long run – like installing tile flooring. Many homeowners take years to work up the courage to finish their basement. There are a lot of concerns for them – not least of which is the purely mental block which makes them think it’s impossible that their cold, dank, unwelcoming basement could ever become a warm and welcoming part of their family home. But when they finally do make that …Continue reading

Drainage considerations with Egress Window Wells.

Don’t Turn Your Window Well into a Wishing Well: Prevent Basement Flooding TAGS: | |

When you’re adding an egress window well to your finished basement, make sure you take the water table into consideration. Water can make or break a basement refurbishment, as any homeowner will tell you – and adding a means of egress can play an important part in that. Sump pumps and drainage can help prevent basement flooding; but heavy rain and storms can still have devastating consequences if you don’t take precautions. So when you’re considering adding an egress well to your finished basement, make sure you give some thought to how that might impact the way water moves around …Continue reading

Finishing a basement can be a cost-effective alternative to moving, as long as it's done safely and egress code compliant.

Don’t Move – Expand! TAGS: | | | |

Finishing a basement can be a great alternative to buying a bigger house. Just don’t forget the egress windows! According to economists, the recession is over – but it doesn’t feel that way to millions of American homeowners. In fact, in some parts of the country house prices are the lowest they’ve been for a half century – in Detroit, for example, the average house price has dropped to just $44,000! And with the housing market still deeply depressed, many homeowners with growing families are struggling. “We had our third kid last June,” explained Long Island homeowner Janine, “and we’re …Continue reading

The_Station

The Station Nightclub Fire Highlights the Importance of Safe Means of Egress TAGS: | | |

Remembering a tragedy also reminds us of the importance of fire safety. This week marked the 10th anniversary of The Station nightclub fire – a horrific blaze that claimed the lives of 100 people in February of 2003. The fire – caused by on-stage pyrotechnics set up by rock band Great White – engulfed the small Rhode Island nightclub in seconds; trapping hundreds in the blazing building. It’s a chilling reminder of the importance of a “means of egress” in any enclosed space. Marking the occasion is the official launch of The Station Documentary – a web series created by …Continue reading

Subscribe Now!

About Me


Hi, I'm Jeff. I will be using this space to share my thoughts and opinions that I have accumulated over many years in the building industry. My hope is to also teach and inspire.

This will also be a location for important industry news and product information. Featured items and sales can also be found here. Subscribe, or check back often to keep up to date on what is happening in the world of Egress Windows.

I welcome comments on any of the posts and I would love to get suggestions from you for topics you would like to learn about in upcoming posts.

Jeff Ommundsen
(229) 234-7377
Jeff@EgressWindows.com
President of Shop Egress Windows, Inc.