Advantages of Egress Windows
Even if you don’t intend to put a bedroom in your basement it is very wise to have an ESCAPE option. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, “4,000 Americans die each year in fires, and over 20,000 are injured.”
Installing an egress window in enclosed spaces can offer that escape route and dramatically improve safety. In addition, these windows can add considerable value to your home. Well built homes that conform to the codes of today will appeal to potential home buyers. Worries of a homeowner or potential future buyers can be minimized with the proper egress window in the basement. These windows allow natural light and provide ventilation on nice days and help the basement feel just like any other part of the house. Circulation of fresh air provided by windows can help prevent basements from feeling stale or damp.
“with an extra legal bedroom [in the basement], you could recover 10 to 20 times your window installation cost when you eventually sell your home.” According to Popular Mechanics Magazine
In any event, a homeowner’s decision to install an egress window is money well spent and gives sound peace of mind knowing their loved ones have a way out in the event of the “un-thinkable.”
Disadvantages of Egress Windows
Aside from budgetary concerns, it’s hard to find a reason not to install egress windows. All things considered, the return on investment is so significant that most budget-based arguments don’t hold up very long.
When equipped with the right tools a do-it-yourself individual can install a regular window. An egress window installation is a lot more in depth. Hiring the right contractor is essential for a project of this scale and hiring the wrong one could result in major problems immediately or down the road. Make sure you ask lots of questions when selecting the contractor for your egress window install. Locating utilities, excavation, and cutting the basement wall require equipment specific to the job. A significant amount of soil is excavated and will need to be hauled away if there is no available area to dump on site. When installed incorrectly, below-grade egress windows can create major moisture problems during heavy precipitation. Proper drainage and grading is critical and a faulty job could trap water that eventually may leak into the living space. In some instances an engineer may be needed to calculate structural loads and overall integrity of the basement window installation. In other cases, when a wall is bowed or cracked the installation may be negated.