What is an Egress Window?
Egress windows act as an additional safety feature for your home, making it easy to climb out to ground level in case there is an emergency on the first floor of the home, such as a fire. Egress windows are required by local building codes in most areas, such as for a bedroom in a basement. If you are planning on finishing your basement and adding on any kind of usable, livable space, you’ll need to install at least one egress window to protect the area.
Egress Window Installation – What To Look For
Many egress windows are not properly installed. There are proper steps to making sure egress windows are installed correctly. The experts at BDB Waterproofing understand that these are the steps to follow:
- The egress window must be dug out all the way to the bottom of the footing.
- Proper drainage must be installed
- The well should be filled with gravel.
Failure of any of these steps can cause costly future problems for the homeowner. For example, your egress window could have moisture seeping in through the basement window, trickling down the wall and into the floor — causing thousands of dollars in damage.
During installation, we will be sure that the egress window is properly sealed, with a well-constructed well and drainage system so you do not end up with basement water problems.
What is a Basement Window Well and Why Do I Need One?
A window well is a U-shaped, ribbed metal or plastic product available in most home hardware stores. It’s designed to fit around basement windows, providing a space between the window and the surrounding earth to allow light into sub-grade structures. In some cases, window wells also provide an emergency point of egress. Properly installed window wells also play an important role in draining excess rainwater away from your foundation. (source: square one)
Providing Selections of Basement Window Wells & Basement Window Well Covers
We provide homeowners with Monarch, Rockwell, and other selections of basement window wells and basement window well covers to protect your home from water problems. Take a look below to see what we have to offer.
Monarch
Monarch’s Premier Series full vinyl windows run the full basement wall width, and exceed standards for energy efficiency.
Monarch’s basement window wells are tough and interchangeable to work with any type of basement window system.
Monarch’s superior basement window well covers and grates add the perfect finishing touch to any home! They are available in standard and custom sizes.
Rockwell
Elite Series Basement Window Wells
These windows have a terraced design which makes it easy to climb up and out of your basement in case of an emergency. A variety of heights and colors are available. Built-in safety-steps to allow for an easy emergency exit.
Premier Series Basement Window Wells
This well has an easy to step-up-onto ledge that will make it easy to get to ground level in case there is an emergency on the first floor of your home and you can’t get out this way.
Contact BDB Waterproofing
Call us at 402-779-3165 or contact us online for a free estimate on your egress window, basement window well, and basement window well cover.