Egress window: Canadian Building Code question

[Minnie Bannister]

Just got back from visiting my brother-in-law in his brand-new townhouse in S. Ontario. The thing that struck me as extremely weird was the window in the basement bedroom: only about 18" high and at ceiling level (compared to US requirement that the window sill be much lower than that). But what really got me was that a wooden deck has been constructed (not just on that unit, but on all of them) above that window well, with only 6" or less between the top of the window well and the underside of the joists. So absolutely no way for anybody to escape in an emergency.

That surely can't be legal, can it?

MB

[Michael Daly]

As I understand it, the use of the basement near the window comes into play. That window can't be used for a bedroom, for example, but a utility room is probably ok as long as there are other egress points.

I agree it's stupid to block windows, but everyone seems to want a deck.

Mike Which reminds me - it's time to get a new copy of the code; mine's dated 1970...

[Minnie Bannister]

The room in question has a built-in closet, so, according to what I have read, the US Building Code (but perhaps not the Canadian code) would deem it to be a bedroom and require it to have a conforming egress window, no matter what the room is called on the plans.

My brother-in-law is a former firefighter and thinks the arrangement is a horrendous fire hazard. He plans to bring it up at a meeting of the HOA, but it seemed to me that it could be a Code violation that needs to be fixed at the builder's expense rather than by the HOA at the residents' expense.

MB

On 04/07/04 10:27 pm Michael Daly put fingers to keyboard and launched the following message into cyberspace:

[Minnie Bannister]

He was a firefighter in the US, not in Canada, and it was a long time ago, so he wouldn't know the current Canadian code. His evaluation is based on general principles, not on familiarity with the code.

MB

On 04/09/04 04:06 am Punch put fingers to keyboard and launched the following message into cyberspace:

[Minnie Bannister]

But the deck above, almost touching the top of the window well, renders the window useless as a means of escape, even if the window itself conforms to the code. And because of the deck, it doesn't even let light in either.

MB

On 04/09/04 03:45 am Punch put fingers to keyboard and launched the following message into cyberspace:

[Punch]

1. its not an egress window, and the code for having an egress window, is if it's a bedroom, or apartment.
2. 18" high is big enough to keep out the crooks, and let light in.

[Michael Daly]

I'm not sure and my ancient code books are packed away right now, so I can't check. I thought that actual use rather than deemed use applied but I'm perfectly willing to accept that I'm wrong.

It's certainly worth looking into. He could find out quickly by contacting an architect or, better yet, the local municipality's building code department.

Mike

[Punch]

he would/should know the codes! again if no body is sleeping down there, its ok to have this small window, and most builder charge for a larger one anyway, for it to be code it would have to be less then 36" from the floor, have an opening/slider that a person could fit through, and a ladder to get out of the well, would only take up around 10 sq.ft of the small yard...

you know what else they do in Canada, the units aren't separated by block, just fire rated (burn through time) drywall, eg my old townhouse had a 30min burnthrough rating...

[Punch]

its not a means of escape, what part of this don't you understand???

now the deck covering the window, ever see a circular saw? get one cut a hole, place a metal grid over top , get on with more important things...

Punch

[Punch]

what the hell is he doing living here? thought the US was so great, heck you bash us Canadians every chance you get, just what we need another foreigner...