Bedroom Egress Code Question

[InmansCME]

I have an older home (1920's) that has a bedroom on a lower floor. The room has an exit door to an interior stairwell/hall leading to the main living room. It also has a window that faces onto a covered porch with a knee wall. The porch has screens over the current openings. I want to put windows in those openings and essentially enclose the porch. I will change out the bedroom window to be an egress rated window. Here is the question - If I leave the existing exit opening from the porch open (do not install a closing door) is that space considered exterior for the purpose of code required egress from a bedroom or am I eliminating my use of that room as a bedroom?

 

[north star]

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InmansCME,

Welcome to The Building Code Forum !

What is the applicable Code \ Standard, and year for your application ?

) & & & (

 

[InmansCME]

) & & & (

InmansCME,

Welcome to The Building Code Forum !

What is the applicable Code \ Standard, and year for your application ?

) & & & (

Home is in Madison County, North Carolina. I am assuming that the application code would have to be most recent as this is a new upgrade.

 

[mark handler]

If the AHJ adopted Appendix I, then you cannot enclose an egress window

2018 North Carolina Building Code, Appendix I Patio Covers
I103.2 Light, Ventilation and Emergency Egress

Exterior openings of the dwelling unit required for light and ventilation shall be permitted to open into a patio structure. However, the patio structure shall be unenclosed if such openings are serving as emergency egress or rescue openings from sleeping rooms. Where such exterior openings serve as an exit from the dwelling unit, the patio structure, unless unenclosed, shall be provided with exits conforming to the provision of Chapter 10.

 

[north star]

) & & & (

A door typically adds a layer of privacy & fire protection in
the event a fire is on the other side of the door........You must
have 2 Means of Egress from all sleeping rooms.

) & & & (

 

[north star]

) & & & (

Mark,

Let's assume that the AHJ did not adopt Appendix I.
Now what ?

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[mark handler]

) & & & (

A door typically adds a layer of privacy & fire protection in
the event a fire is on the other side of the door........You must
have 2 Means of Egress from all sleeping rooms.

) & & & (

"...2 Means of Egress from all sleeping rooms...?
I assume you mean the Emergency window and the door into the room....?

 

[mark handler]

) & & & (

Mark,

Let's assume that the AHJ did not adopt Appendix I.
Now what ?

) & & & (

Then with the AHJ's Okay, there is nothing to prevent it.

 

[ICE]

The appendix gets the patio in. Without the appendix you're stuck with: "Emergency escape and rescue openings shall open directly into a public way, or to a yard or court that opens to a public way." I don't see a patio cover in the way.

 

[InmansCME]

If the AHJ adopted Appendix I, then you cannot enclose an egress window

2018 North Carolina Building Code, Appendix I Patio Covers
I103.2 Light, Ventilation and Emergency Egress

Exterior openings of the dwelling unit required for light and ventilation shall be permitted to open into a patio structure. However, the patio structure shall be unenclosed if such openings are serving as emergency egress or rescue openings from sleeping rooms. Where such exterior openings serve as an exit from the dwelling unit, the patio structure, unless unenclosed, shall be provided with exits conforming to the provision of Chapter 10.

What constitutes "unenclosed"? What is specified in "chapter 10"?