What Are the Benefits of Having Egress Windows?

Aside from the safety of having an emergency exit option in your basement, egress windows also increase the value of your home. The main benefits of an egress window are:

• Increased Formal Square Footage  

While your basement may always have been present, finishing your basement and adding an egress window means that it is formally included in the livable square footage of your home. As such, you can officially convert it into a bedroom, for example, or office space and list your home as having this facility. 

This will not only drastically increase the value of your property, but it will also make it more attractive to certain types of buyers (depending on what you list the new space as). Of course, even if you are not planning on selling your home, a finished basement is a huge asset, especially if you have a growing family. 

• Safety 

The problem with using the basement as a living or sleeping space is how it hems you in. Unless you have an external access hatch, there is only one entry and exit option. If something happens to make this route unsafe, anyone in the basement essentially becomes trapped. Egress windows are designed to address this issue. 

Of course, many basements already have windows, but these are often too high up and too small to provide a viable escape route to all but the fittest of people. By offering a safe and accessible escape route from the basement, an egress window works to keep you and your family safe in case of emergencies and accidents.