According to law, bedrooms in Canada that do not have a sprinkler system or a direct escape route are required to have egress windows. Of course these windows must be the proper egress window size to adhere to these standards.
It is possible to convert most operable standard window sizes in Canada to egress windows to meet the fire code requirement. The following article will provide useful information about egress windows for Canadian residents.
Converting Windows to Proper Egress Size Window Size
Most standard sized basement and bedroom windows in Canada can easily be converted to egress style windows. However, in some cases a wall cut out may be needed for the windows to convert to the correct egress window size Canada.
Keep in mind that the majority of windows and Doors Company do not do wall cut-outs. It may be necessary to hire an outside contractor to do this work. As well, you should check with your local municipality to see if a permit is required for the work before you start the process.
Be mindful when talking to some window companies as they do not always know the recent laws and will blatantly state that a permit is not required. Our company is up-to-date on the egress fire codes and will not give false information. Always double check to see if a permit is required for the whole process, as it can cost you an additional fine in fines.
Egress Window Size and Requirements
Basement Egress Windows
- Egress basement windows must have stairs or some type of step underneath to provide a safe route of escape in the event of an emergency.
- As well, basement egress window wells must have an opening of 30 inches (0.76 m) deep and must be 760 m from the window.
Bedroom Egress Windows
- Egress bedroom windows must provide 5% natural light to the bedroom flooring
- Bedroom egress windows must be able to be opened from inside the home without the use of tools, hardware or keys and must not involve detailed instructions.
- Bedroom egress windows need to provide sufficient ventilation year-round.
- Bedroom egress windows must be higher than 1.5 from the floor.
- Egress windows are not required if there is already a sprinkler system installed in the bedroom.
Standard Requirements for Bedroom and Basement Egress Windows
- Security bars on egress windows are required to be operable from inside the home and removed without the use of special directions or tools.
- Egress windows must be no less than 15 inches (380 mm) in dimension and have an area not less than 3.8ft2 (0.35 m2).
Modern casement, awning and slider windows most likely meet the necessary requirements. Check with your windows company if you need the exact measurements. Remember to check the building codes to ensure that your windows are the correct egress window size to avoid fines and to ensure a safe escape route.
Contact DirectPro Windows and Doors if you have any questions about egress window size or other requirements. We can assess your current bedroom and basement windows to see if they are up to standard and give you a quote for new egress windows if needed.
