Does every bedroom window have to be an egress window?

US IRC R310 and most Canadian codes require at least one egress-capable opening per sleeping room. Not every window in the room must be egress-capable, but every sleeping room needs at least one that meets the code. Confirm with your local building official for additions or renovations.

Is a 24 × 36 inch bedroom window big enough for egress?

That is below the US IRC R310 minimum. The code requires a 5.7 sq ft net clear opening with a minimum 20-inch width AND 24-inch height. A 24 × 36 frame produces a smaller clear opening after the sash and frame are accounted for. A single casement is the most compact way to meet 5.7 sq ft — typically starting around 28 × 48 inches of frame, depending on hardware.

Can I use a bay or bow window as an egress window?

The bay or bow unit itself is not an egress window, but one of its flanker operating sashes may qualify. If the flanker is a casement or double-hung that meets the clear-opening minimum, that specific flanker can serve as the egress opening for the room. Confirm the flanker sash dimensions against the code before ordering.

Do basement windows need to meet egress?

US IRC: habitable basements and sleeping rooms require egress openings; unfinished storage basements do not. The grade-floor allowance (5.0 sq ft) may apply when the opening is at or near grade. Canadian requirements vary by province. Confirm with your local building official.

How do I verify my specific Panes window meets egress?

The frame size, operation and hardware together set the net clear opening. Open the configurator for your selected window style, enter the frame dimensions, and the specification page shows the actual clear opening for that configuration. Share the result with your installer or building official before ordering.

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Egress windows: what the code requires and which window types work

Egress windows are the openings that let a person escape (or a rescuer enter) during a fire or emergency. Building codes define the minimum clear opening for every sleeping room. This page explains the current US IRC and Canadian OBC requirements, which Panes window operation styles can accommodate egress, and how to confirm compliance for your specific unit.

What the code actually says

US — International Residential Code (IRC) R310 (sleeping rooms, basements with habitable space):

Minimum net clear opening: 5.7 square feet (grade-floor openings may be 5.0 square feet).
Minimum net clear opening width: 20 inches.
Minimum net clear opening height: 24 inches.
Maximum sill height above finished floor: 44 inches.
The opening must be operable from inside without a key, tool or special knowledge.

Canada — Ontario Building Code (OBC) 9.9.10 and NBC equivalents (requirements vary by province):

Minimum unobstructed opening: 0.35 m² (3.77 sq ft) with no dimension less than 380 mm (15 inches).
The opening must be openable from inside without special tools or keys.
Confirm the specific requirement for your province and local amendments before ordering.

Important: Net clear opening is the ACTUAL unobstructed opening when the window is fully opened — it is NOT the frame dimension and NOT the rough-opening dimension. Operation style, sash dimensions and hardware all affect the final clear opening.

Which Panes window styles can accommodate egress

Egress-capable Panes window styles

Casement — Side-hinged sash opens outward to expose roughly the full sash width. The widest clear opening per frame area; usually the easiest way to meet the 5.7 sq ft minimum.
Double-Hung — Both sashes slide vertically. The clear opening is roughly one sash height × the full width. Confirm sash dimensions for the chosen frame size.
Single-Hung — Lower sash slides up; upper is fixed. Same clear-opening logic as double-hung for the operating sash; upper half does not count toward egress.
Slider (single or double) — Horizontal sliding sashes. Clear opening is roughly the operating sash width × the full height. Each operating sash counts separately.

Window styles that cannot serve as egress

Awning — Top-hinged, opens outward only to a limited angle — insufficient clear opening area for egress.
Picture (fixed) — Does not open; not an egress-capable window.
Bay / Bow — Center picture plus flanker operating sashes. The flanker sashes may be egress-capable individually, but the bay or bow as a unit is not an egress window.
Shaped — Fixed geometric and specialty shapes; not operable, not egress-capable.

The operation style determines whether egress is POSSIBLE for the frame. The specific unit size determines whether egress is ACHIEVED. Confirm your net clear opening against the code before ordering.

Egress questions

Does every bedroom window have to be an egress window?: US IRC R310 and most Canadian codes require at least one egress-capable opening per sleeping room. Not every window in the room must be egress-capable, but every sleeping room needs at least one that meets the code. Confirm with your local building official for additions or renovations.
Is a 24 × 36 inch bedroom window big enough for egress?: That is below the US IRC R310 minimum. The code requires a 5.7 sq ft net clear opening with a minimum 20-inch width AND 24-inch height. A 24 × 36 frame produces a smaller clear opening after the sash and frame are accounted for. A single casement is the most compact way to meet 5.7 sq ft — typically starting around 28 × 48 inches of frame, depending on hardware.
Can I use a bay or bow window as an egress window?: The bay or bow unit itself is not an egress window, but one of its flanker operating sashes may qualify. If the flanker is a casement or double-hung that meets the clear-opening minimum, that specific flanker can serve as the egress opening for the room. Confirm the flanker sash dimensions against the code before ordering.
Do basement windows need to meet egress?: US IRC: habitable basements and sleeping rooms require egress openings; unfinished storage basements do not. The grade-floor allowance (5.0 sq ft) may apply when the opening is at or near grade. Canadian requirements vary by province. Confirm with your local building official.
How do I verify my specific Panes window meets egress?: The frame size, operation and hardware together set the net clear opening. Open the configurator for your selected window style, enter the frame dimensions, and the specification page shows the actual clear opening for that configuration. Share the result with your installer or building official before ordering.