Have You Checked Your Egress Windows?- Encinitas Home Inspector
It's midnight and you've just drifted off to sleep. All of a sudden, the smoke alarms in your home begin to blast. You changed all the detector batteries just two weeks ago! This must be the real deal! You forgot to turn off the dryer before going to bed and the lint trap has ignited starting a roaring fire in the hallway outside your bedroom! You quickly jump out of bed and slam the bedroom door shut to contain the fire.
After closing the door, you realize the bedroom window is now your only way out. Running over to the window, you discover it is painted shut and you're unable to open it! You pick up a shoe and smash the glass, but there's a problem. You cannot fit through the window! You had the original window taken out and replaced with a smaller one several years ago to provide more wall space for your new bedroom suite. The fire is now licking at the door and smoke is beginning to pour in under the door!
All of a sudden, you feel a wet tongue licking your face. It's Barney, your Golden Retriever- It was just a dream! The next morning, after a restless night's sleep, as soon as you get out of bed, you check your window. Whew! It opens smoothly and is large enough to exit.
Emergency escape and rescue openings in a home are very important. Basements, habitable attics, and every sleeping room must have one such opening. Here are the size requirements: The sill height cannot be more than 44" above the floor. The net clear opening must be at least 5.7 square feet and must be at least 24" high and 20" wide. This will allow escape of the occupants and entrance by emergency personnel. These egress windows must open directly into a public way, or to a yard or court that opens to a public way.
Have You Checked Your Egress Windows?- Encinitas Home Inspector- If not, don't put it off! Your life may depend on it! The bedroom windows at the Encinitas home inspection in the video below are a hazard. This item should be immediately corrected for the safety of the occupants. Steve Stenros, an Encinitas home inspector, is the owner of First Choice Inspections. He is a CREIA MCI home inspector and can be reached for appointment at 888-335-3040. Clients receive a FREE lifetime appliance RecallChek with every standard home inspection.
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