Q: I’m remodeling a client’s unfinished basement, which has just two small windows. Are windows required in a basement that is converted to living space, and if so, how many are needed and what size do they need to be?
A: Mike Whalen, a project manager (CRPM) with DBS Remodel in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., responds: Most building codes not only require windows for egress, but also enforce criteria as to their size and placement. Natural light and ventilation requirements based on the square footage of the converted living space also typically have to be met.
In Dutchess County, N.Y., where I work, we’re governed by the Residential Code of New York State (RCNYS), although a handful of municipalities, including the City of Poughkeepsie, tend to be more strict. We make it a point to stay on top of any changes or additions to the codes because some towns may have fine-tuned the requirements for basement conversions. In general, though, the requirements we adhere to regarding basements converted to living space are the following.
Emergency egress. The first priority is to provide egress or an “emergency escape and rescue opening” for the basement. All basement areas larger than 200 square feet and any habitable space must have a second means of egress with a minimum open area of 5.7 square feet. Where basements contain one or more sleeping rooms, an egress opening is required in each sleeping room. The RCNYS code mandates that “the egress openings are required to open directly into a public way, or to a yard or court that opens to a public way.”
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