Having a fire in your home can be a very scary experience. It’s never something you want to happen, but something that is important to plan for. Whether you find yourself in the upstairs, the main level, or the basement of your home when you smell smoke, you need to be prepared and know exactly how to react. Talk to your family family members about your upstairs escape plan in case of an emergency. When it comes to your basement, your window wells plan a big part in allowing your family to get out safely. Here’s what you need to know about basement window wells and your emergency escape plan.
Smoke and the heat can make people confused and disoriented. That is why there needs to be close options for escape no matter where you are in the home. By law, basements that have bedrooms where occupants may be sleeping are required to have an emergency egress window well to allow your family members to escape quickly and safely.
Your egress window should be 5.7 square feet of opening that is no more than 44 inches off the floor. It should be easy to open from the inside. If you live in a newer home, your windows will already meet these standards. (If you live in an older home and you’re basement windows aren’t as easy to use as an emergency exit as they should be, it is worth considering doing a renovation project to update them.)
But you can’t ensure safety just by having an egress window. You also need to consider your window well. If you don’t have one you’ll want to plan for basement window well installation. After exiting the window, your family members will most often be faced with metal window wells. If the window well is too deep, it will be difficult for certain family members to use as an escape. You will need to install a ladder, or perhaps put in a window well liner that will better assist your family in an emergency.
Lastly, many homeowners like to keep metal grate window well covers over their window wells to keep people from falling in as well as eliminating debris build up. This can also keep an escape route clear, but it needs to be easily opened from the inside. If you’ve gone with DIY window well covers, you may want to consider custom window well covers. Not only will you be sure that your family can open them easily from the inside, but you’ll be able to lock them so intruders stay out. You can also choose a clear window well cover rather than the traditional grate to keep even more debris and even snow and water out of your window wells.
If you’re wondering, “Where can I find custom window well covers near me?” look no further than Windowell Expressions. They can help you install a window well liner as well as, grate, clear, or custom window well covers.
