National building code requires that all basement apartments have a means of egress installed – but where space is at a premium, that can be difficult to make happen. One solution is a space-saving egress window well.

The 2009 IRC Building Code brought in regulations that made it mandatory to fit some means of egress into basement windows – a vital safety feature to allow basement residents to escape if there’s a fire or other disaster.

But for thousands of American homeowners, bringing their basements up to code has not been easy. While it’s always a good investment to finish your basement, it can sometimes be difficult because there simply isn’t the space to install a basement window and full-sized egress window well.

One option is to choose a window well that doesn’t require backfill to install, as one of our customers recently did. But for a really tight space, we recommend our 2062 Egress Window Well designed specifically for small spaces.

Molded from tough and durable polyethylene, this window well has a reduced footprint perfect for squeezing into tight spots – less than ten square feet! It also has a stepladder molded directly into the window well, offering an accessible means of egress without taking up a lot of space.

It’s designed to be used with our In-Swing Egress Window; a smart basement window that swings inward, rather than out, to save even more space. You can even buy the whole kit as a package; including a cover to your window well to protect from snow and rain.

Of course, this window well kit meets 2009 IRC building Code; making it one of the best options for adding egress windows in places where space is at a premium – but it’s also a practical way to ensure that residents of a basement apartment stay safe – and ultimately, that’s the most important thing.