In 95% of homes today, the stairway from the basement leads directly to or off of the kitchen. Since most home fires originate in the kitchen or laundry room, you and your family members can become trapped in the basement. A properly installed egress system provides a safe and easy method of escape outside of the house and to safety.
Basements are no longer used just for storage…we use them for playrooms, entertainment centers, and bedrooms for expanded families. A recent study also showed that most basements have “hopper windows” that open from the top and inward, which do not provide a sufficient means of escape. Most states, including New Jersey, have enacted IRC Egress Code requiring a means of exit from basements; as of September 2019, all basements must have an additional means of egress.
Adding an egress window to your home does more than provide an easy means of escape and for first responders to enter your home. It also provides more light and ventilation, and improves resale value. Building down as opposed to building up and out is considerably less expensive, and an egress system will make your basement more livable and attractive.
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