What is egress windows and wells? And what does it do?
Basement remodeling can be the most affordable option for increasing your living space. Years ago, there were no building codes regarding egress windows and doors. Please do not chance that your loved ones will be aroused quickly enough by the smoke detectors or alarms to escape up the stairs and out the main floor exits during an emergency.
Basement egress windows and wells are not only a priority safety feature but also an invaluable investment that should be carefully planned, selected, and installed for any living space remodeling project. Besides escape, egress windows and wells allow emergency personnel easy access to assist any trapped inhabitant.
Egress windows and wells are offered in attractive colors that will blend with the exterior of any home and complement the chosen interior decoration theme. Added features include windows with terraced steps molded in the wells, ensuring ease of escape, instead of contending with the traditional ladders. Because these egress systems allow a good deal of natural light to filter in through the windows, they decrease your energy cost savings and double as an outdoor planter.
Both the windows and wells come either as separate or inclusive units depending upon the chosen materials and engineering of each manufacturer. Some units are offered with added strength and rigidity that is especially evident when backfilling.
Panels in some of the egress windows and wells are UV stabilized for low maintenance. Having to choose an egress well with an unsightly ladder, or corrugated steps as opposed to the molded terraced steps is no longer mandatory with the variety of products carried by competing manufacturers.
Installers love egress window wells with the components that snap together onsite. The windows and wells can be purchased separately and with optional polycarbonate covers or metal grates. This makes it possible to find a compatible replacement to older wells, where the window is still in great shape.