Basement bedroom window does not meet egress requirements?

[James Wierzba]

Hi,

I am purchasing a SFH investment property. There is one issue of concern that came out in my inspection:

The basement bedroom window does not meet the national fire safety standard egress requirements. The violation is that the window is a bit too high off of the ground. 

Note that the property was built in 1965 which was before this safety code was implemented, so it is "grandfathered in" so-to-speak.

What I would like to know is if and how this window egress issue could pose any potential issues for me in the future? Potential issues with me legally listing the room as a bedroom?

Also, I don't know if this would prevent me from obtaining property insurance? Do insurance companies accept the excuse that a property was built before a safety code was implemented?

[Kenneth Garrett]

@James Wierzba

I have been a building official for over twenty years.  The minimum sill height is 44 inches above the finished floor.  If it was installed prior to current code standards you have a legal non conforming situation or as typically stated you are grandfathered in. A simple solution to alleviate the problem for example would be if the sill height was 54 inches Install a permanent step below the window to reduce the height to 44 inches or less.  This is not in the code book but a reasonable solution.  There should be no issues with insurance coverages since it was permitted at the time it was installed.  Your building must be fairly old since this standard has been in existence for decades.

Good Luck.