Casement Windows for Basement Egress: Cheap Fix or Bad Idea? TAGS: Adding egress windows | building codes | Egress windows | means of egress | safe basement exit

Not all basement windows are created equal. Make sure yours meet code before you waste time and money having to reinstall them. Having to get a finished basement up to code is a smart move; and quickly pays for itself in terms of house value and rental potential. However, the initial outlay often inspires homeowners to try and cut corners when adding a means of egress – and that can lead to costly problems in the future. One of the most common “cheap fix” solutions homeowners attempt is to install regular casement windows as a means of egress. Sadly, it’s …Continue reading →

If You Like It, Put a Lid On It TAGS: bringing fresh air in a basement | building codes | Egress windows | safe basement exit | Sunlight into a basement

An egress well cover or grate is a smart investment for your basement window well. Egress window wells are an essential for your basement. Not only are they legally required by building code; but they’re a vital safety feature that could help people escape from the basement in the event of an emergency. But adding basement windows requires a few adjustments around the rest of the house, too – especially in the yard or garden. John Symon, a customer from Bethlahem, Pa., explained a couple of issues he ran into: “I finished my basement last year,” he emailed to tell …Continue reading →

Don’t Start From Scratch When Installing Basement Windows TAGS: Adding egress windows | building codes | Dial 811 | Egress windows | means of egress

Many older basements don’t have a means of egress installed – but a lot of them do have some kind of window or opening to let light and air in. If you’re not sure where to start with your basement renovation, why not consider using these existing windows to help you install your egress windows? More and more American homeowners are converting their basements into furnished family rooms, spare bedrooms, home offices or rental apartments. In order to meet building code, however, it’s necessary to have a “means of egress” installed. One tip we recommend for homeowners installing basement windows …Continue reading →

Complying with Basement Egress Code Affordably TAGS: building codes | Egress windows | means of egress

We helped one homeowner find an affordable solution to comply with the basement egress code for his rental apartment. “When I rented out my basement, I hoped I’d be earning money from it,” writes Jeff Kotzer, from Sitzer, Wisconsin. “But after the township found out, I ended up facing a big bill instead.” Jeff was facing a situation similar to that of hundreds of thousands of American homeowners – those whose finished basements don’t meet national building code. Townships and regulators nationwide have stepped up inspections and enforcements and – as a result – people like Jeff are on the …Continue reading →

Stay EPA Compliant When Installing Egress Windows TAGS: Adding egress windows | basement egress windows | building codes | Egress windows | finishing a basement | means of egress

We’ve found a great product contractors will love; which helps them stick to new Environmental Protection Agency regulations when installing egress windows in the basement. Installing egress windows is a straightforward job – but it’s also a messy one. Contractors and homeowners looking to cut through brick, stone, masonry and wood to install their windows are going to churn out a lot of dust, grit and sawdust when they do so. Unfortunately, dealing with this debris isn’t as simple as throwing a tarp down. Because paint chips, sanding, grinding and cutting can throw up a lot of dangerous materials (including lead, …Continue reading →

Illegal Basement Apartments Beware: More Cities are Checking Code TAGS: building codes | Egress windows | means of egress

Hundreds of thousands of homeowners are renting out basement apartments – but many of them aren’t up to code and therefore illegal. In addition to being dangerous, failure to install safety features like escape windows could lead to hefty fines and penalties if they’re discovered. There are a lot of reasons why people turn their basements into apartments: Sometimes it’s parents looking to give older kids a little independence. Other times it’s low income families looking for a little additional income. Whatever the reason, however, townships and cities are cracking down on these illegal residencies; and it can cost homeowners …Continue reading →

Window Boxes to Brighten Up Your Basement TAGS: basement egress windows | building codes | Egress windows | fixing smelly basements | means of egress

Britney made her basement blossom with window boxes added to her egress well. Philadelphia resident Britney Clark is loving living on her own for the first time – and hasn’t let any of the stereotypes about nightmarish “first apartments” come true. “My parents thought I was crazy when I said I was going to move out and into a basement apartment near my new job,” she admits. “They thought it would be dark and dank – just some smelly basement.” But Britney lucked out – the husband and wife who rented the apartment, and lived upstairs, had recently renovated it …Continue reading →

Basement Apartment Fire in Trenton Demonstrates Importance of Egress Code TAGS: Adding egress windows | building codes | Egress windows | emergeny escape | means of egress | safe basement exit

National building code requires all basement apartments to have a safe means of egress – but many are rented out without this vital safety feature. Doing so, however risks deadly consequences. In Trenton, New Jersey, firefighters were recently called to a blaze in a busy residential neighborhood – in which two houses were engulfed in flames. Read about it at NJ.com. It’s believed the fire began on the porch of one of the Franklin Street homes, caused by a cigarette butt or stick of smoldering incense left in the trash by the occupant of the basement apartment. The upstairs tenant …Continue reading →

Making a Mother Daughter Apartment Safe and Legal TAGS: Adding egress windows | building codes | Egress windows | fixing smelly basements | natural light

When newly single Jess needed to move back in with her mother, she had some ideas to help keep her sense of independence. “You know, I never imagined I’d be married and divorced, all before I hit thirty,” admits customer Jess Mally, from New Hampshire. “It’s a big blow to the ego to have to move back in with a parent – especially when all your friends are buying houses and having babies.” But fortunately, Jess’s story has a happy ending. “When my husband and I decided to get divorced, I thought it was the end of the world. We’d …Continue reading →

DIY Basement Finishing: Make Sure You Know the Codes TAGS: basement | basement remodel ideas | building codes | Egress windows | finishing a basement

Richard thought he was smart to finish his basement himself – until it came time to sell his house. “I guess the moral to the story is: Don’t cut corners.” Richard’s talking about the finished basement of his Reading, Pa. home. “My buddies and I did it about five years ago,” he explains. “My wife and I had been talking about finishing the basement for a while, so we bought what we needed from the hardware store and got cracking.” And for a project fueled by six packs of beer and how-to articles found on Google, Richard and his friends …Continue reading →