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Basement Egress

K

Keystone

SAWHORSE
Joined
Feb 23, 2010
Messages
1,274
Location
Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania
2009 IRC, partial basment finish with typical stair egress to upper level. Secondary egress through finished basement door into unfinished basement and out Bilco door, opinions of permitted or not?
 
?que?

R310.4 Bars, grilles, covers and screens. Bars, grilles, covers, screens or similar devices are permitted to be placed over emergency escape and rescue openings, bulkhead enclosures, or window wells that serve such openings, provided the minimum net clear opening size complies with Sections R310.1.1 to R310.1.3, and such devices shall be releasable or removable from the inside without the use of a key, tool, special knowledge or force greater than that which is required for normal operation of the escape and rescue opening.
 
Francis Vineyard said:
Okay if the finished portion is not a bedroom; otherwise the bedroom require an EERO or an exit.
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Actually, the 2012 IRC requires an EERO for basements not used solely to house mechanical equipment, whether they are sleeping rooms or not. However, a bulkhead enclosure is permitted for a basement.
 
The language in R310 has not changed in 2012. Basements not meeting the exception for the 200 sqft mechanical room must have two ways out. Vertical egress (stairs) and a door or an EERO at basement level. In addition, every bedroom must have an EERO.
 
As usual my answers in haste I left out the word door i.e. should have said an exit "door" and granted a compliant bulkhead or Bilco door is an EERO. However my answer is in reference to it's location through an unfinished area and should the finished area happened to be a bedroom aka sleeping area.

IRC Interpretation Required EERO

Thanks Daddy-0, beat me to the reply by that .00001 much!

All is well.
 
georgia plans exam said:
Daddy-O,I must be missing something. Where is the requirement for vertical egress?

GPE
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R311.1 Means of egress.

All dwellings shall be provided with a means of egress as provided in this section. The means of egress shall provide a continuous and unobstructed path of vertical and horizontal egress travel from all portions of the dwelling to the exterior of the dwelling at the required egress door without requiring travel through a garage.
 
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