Minimum requirements and dimensions for bedroom windows

The main purpose of the egress standard is to protect the health and safety of your home’s occupants by ensuring they have a way to get out of the house in case of an emergency. However, it is also important to comply with this standard to avoid having issues with your municipality, which could otherwise conduct an inspection and impose a fine. Your house insurance may also require that bedroom windows meet the egress standard in order to maintain adequate insurance coverage.

Under the National Building Code, every bedroom that is not equipped with automatic sprinklers must have at least one window or door providing direct access to the outdoors. In an emergency, this opening provides a secondary way to get out of the house quickly in case the bedroom door or stairs going up to the main floor are blocked.

This window must meet the following criteria :

• Unobstructed
• Sufficiently large
• Easy to open without any key, tools or special knowledge

Characteristics of egress-compliant windows:

• The window must provide an unobstructed opening with a minimum area of 0.35 m² and with no dimension less than 380 mm.
• The window must not be installed higher than 150 cm above the ground unless a unit is solidly attached to the wall to facilitate, for example, the evacuation of a child.
• If the window opens into a window well, clearance of at least 760 mm must be maintained. In the winter, the space outside of the window must be kept clear of snow.
• The opening mechanism must not affect the clearance; for example, the tie bar on a casement window must not restrict the opening.
• If the window well is equipped with a cover, it must be possible to open it from the inside without the use of any key, tools or special knowledge.

How do I know if my bedroom window is compliant?

To confirm whether your bedroom window meets the standard, simply multiply the height of the opening by its width. Be sure to carefully measure the dimensions of the unobstructed opening rather than simply the window frame dimensions. The resulting number is the area of your window’s unobstructed opening, which must be at least 0.35 m².

Other things you should know

While the National Building Code sets out the minimal egress requirements to be followed, your municipality could have stricter standards in place. We therefore advise checking with your municipality before proceeding with any type of renovation or expansion work.

Basement windows in new builds do not necessarily meet egress standards if the house plans did not provide for any basement bedrooms. It is important to let your architect know if you might consider adding any bedrooms in your home’s basement in the future.

Houses with egress-compliant basement windows can have higher resale value. Potential buyers are often mindful of safety concerns and construction standards, which may influence their purchase decision.

Check out our casement window with removable mullion

Our casement window with removable mullion is designed specifically for use in basement bedrooms. Combining performance, safety and ease of use, this window meets the egress requirements for emergency exits as set out in the National Building Code.

Key benefits :

• Its simple, three-step opening mechanism could not be easier to operate without any key, tools or special knowledge.
• Removing the centre mullion maximizes the area of the window opening to allow for fast evacuation of the room’s occupants in an emergency.
• It’s possible to use casement windows on the other floors of your house as well to create a harmonious, uniform appearance from roof to basement.

As a little extra, the instructions for using the window as an emergency exit are affixed to every window frame.

By installing compliant bedroom windows, you’re providing for your peace of mind as well as your home’s maximum functionality. Whether they're located in the basement or upstairs, bedroom windows fulfil an important safety function, so they should be selected with care. At Vaillancourt Doors and Windows, our representatives are here to answer your questions and advise you on the type of window that will meet existing standards while also offering performance and esthetics.

Disclaimer
All information in this article is provided for reference purposes only. We advise that you always refer to the National Building Code to ensure your project complies with egress requirements. We are not responsible for any loss or damage related to the use of this information.

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