Daycare_Mama 10:23 PM 02-18-2012
I have a question about egress windows.
We are redoing our daughter's room (new furniture) and it is requiring some rearranging. Her room is in the basement, so it has an egress window as a means of escape. Ideally, I would like to put her bed or short dresser under the window. It would be the best arrangement of her new furniture and it would give her an easy way to climb into the egress window in the event of a fire.
I am not licensed yet, so I don't have anyone or anything to quickly check with, but want to get licensed this year and don't want to have to re-anchor furniture after we secure it to the wall. I remember a fire inspector mentioning something about furniture not blocking egress windows. I'm going to double check with them next week, but thought surely some of you must have egress windows too and know what the furniture rule is in front of them.
I am not sure if "blocking egress windows" means that you could have furniture under the window, so long as it doesn't block the actual window part OR if it means there can't be ANY furniture under the window (even if it doesn't block the actual window).
Does anyone happen to know the answer to this? I realize it might different from one county/state to another, but just curious if anyone has any insight. When searching online, I can't seem to find anything about fire codes and furniture in front of windows.
Thanks!
MyAngels 06:05 AM 02-19-2012
Not sure how helpful this is, but this is what Illinois licensing regs say:
"When the bottom of the window opening used as a second exit is greater than 24 inches above the floor, there shall be a permanently affixed, sturdy ramp or stairs located below the window to allow speedy access in the event of an emergency."
Blackcat31 08:07 AM 02-19-2012
Originally Posted by Daycare_Mama:
I have a question about egress windows.
We are redoing our daughter's room (new furniture) and it is requiring some rearranging. Her room is in the basement, so it has an egress window as a means of escape. Ideally, I would like to put her bed or short dresser under the window. It would be the best arrangement of her new furniture and it would give her an easy way to climb into the egress window in the event of a fire.
I am not licensed yet, so I don't have anyone or anything to quickly check with, but want to get licensed this year and don't want to have to re-anchor furniture after we secure it to the wall. I remember a fire inspector mentioning something about furniture not blocking egress windows. I'm going to double check with them next week, but thought surely some of you must have egress windows too and know what the furniture rule is in front of them.
I am not sure if "blocking egress windows" means that you could have furniture under the window, so long as it doesn't block the actual window part OR if it means there can't be ANY furniture under the window (even if it doesn't block the actual window).
Does anyone happen to know the answer to this? I realize it might different from one county/state to another, but just curious if anyone has any insight. When searching online, I can't seem to find anything about fire codes and furniture in front of windows.
Thanks!
(If I remember right, we are in the same state)
DH has his contractor's license and says if a bed can actually help your DD to get up into the window to escape then it is ok but if something such as a dresser hinders her ability to get into the window, that would not be ok.
He said he doesn't think there are any actual codes but it isn't recommended that you block access in anyway, which would probably just be common sense.
As a parent who is always worrried about fire and escaping, I think I would be comfortbale with the bed being there but not a dresser. Beds are easy to get on, dressers not so much.
Hope that helps. He said that to be sure, you should call your zoning office and double check.