Egress Windows - 2000 Michigan Residential Code
 In order to promote consistency within the Holland area, Building
Inspectors for the City of Holland, the City of Zeeland, Holland Township, Park
Township, Port Sheldon Township, Jamestown Township, and Overisel Township, have
jointly issued the following letter of clarification on egress windows and
window wells:
Any type or style of window may be used for an egress window
in a sleeping room as long as it meets the following Code:
Section R 310:
Emergency Escape and Rescue Openings
R 310.1 Emergency escape
and rescue required. Basements with habitable space and every sleeping
room shall have at least one openable emergency escape and rescue window or
exterior door opening for emergency escape and rescue. Where openings are
provided as a means of escape and rescue they shall have a sill height of not
more than 44 inches (1118mm) above the floor. Where a door opening having
a threshold below the adjacent ground elevation serves as an emergency escape
and rescue opening and is provided with a bulkhead enclosure, the bulkhead
enclosure shall comply with Section R 310.3. The net clear opening
dimensions required by this section shall be obtained by the normal operation of
the window or door opening from the inside. Escape and rescue window
openings with a finished sill height below the adjacent ground elevation shall
be provided with a window well in accordance with Section R 310.2.
R 310.1.1 Minimum opening area.
All emergency escape and rescue openings shall have a minimum net clear
opening of 5.7 square feet (0.530mm).
Exception: Grade floor
openings shall have a minimum net clear opening of 5 square feet (0.465 mm).
R 310.1.2 Minimum opening height.
The minimum net clear opening height shall be 24 inches (610mm).
R 3101.3. Minimum opening width.
The minimum net clear opening width shall be 20 inches.
R 310.1.4 Operational constraints.
Emergency escape and rescue openings shall be operational from the inside of
the room without the use of keys or tools.
R 310.2 Window wells. Window well
required for emergency escape and rescue shall have horizontal dimensions that
allow the door or window of the emergency escape and rescue opening to be fully
opened. The horizontal dimensions of the window well shall provide a
minimum net clear area of 9 square feet with a minimum horizontal projection and
width of 36 inches.
Exception: The ladder or steps
required by Section R 310.2.1 shall be permitted to encroach a maximum of 6
inches into the required dimensions of the window well.
R 310.2.1 Ladder and steps.
Window wells with a vertical depth greater than 44 inches below the adjacent
ground level shall be equipped with a permanently affixed ladder or steps
usable with the window in the fully open position. Ladders or steps
required by this section shall not be required to comply with Sections R 314
and R 315. Ladders or rungs shall have an inside width of at least 12
inches (305 mm), shall project at least 3 inches ( 76 mm) from the wall and
shall be spaced not more than 18 inches (457 mm) on center vertically for the
full height of the window well.
R 310.3 Bulkhead enclosures.
Bulkhead enclosures shall provide direct access to the basement. The
bulkhead enclosure with the door panels in the fully open position shall provide
the minimum net clear opening required by Section R 310.1.1. Bulkhead
enclosures shall also comply with Section R 314.9.
R 310.4 Bars, grills, covers and screens.
Bars, grills, covers, screens or similar devices are permitted to be placed over
emergency escape and rescue openings, bulkhead enclosures, or window wells that
serve such openings, provided the minimum net clear opening size complies with
Sections R 310.1.1 to R 310.1.3, and such devices shall be releasable or
removable from the inside without the use of a key, tool or force greater than
that which is required for normal operation of the escape and rescue opening.
Window wells shall be constructed as follows:
- The minimum area of the window well floor shall be at least
36" x 36" but shall not, in any way, interfere with the operation
of the window.
- There shall be a clear headroom of 6' 8" above
finished grade immediately adjacent to the window well, and no type of
grate, cover, or other obstruction shall be permitted under any
circumstances.
- If a guardrail for protection of pedestrians is provided,
it shall be located a minimum of three feet from the perimeter of the window
well.
- The maximum depth of the well is 44 inches. Window
wells deeper than 44 inches shall require a second 36" x 36" of
"floor area" above the bottom of the well, or a stairway that
meets all the requirements of the building code. A ladder is not
permitted as a substitute for a stairway.
- Prefabricated window well enclosures shall meet the minimum
requirements noted above or shall be considered on an individual basis.
- Storm water drainage must be provided to the window well.
Questions should be addressed to the inspector in your
jurisdiction:
- City of Holland: Cindy Osman or Tom Yost
- City of Zeeland: Art Grimes
- Holland Township: Mike Winkler or Ed Gordon
- Park Township: Kirk Briggs
- Port Sheldon, Jamestown, Overisel: Wayne Oosterink
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