What's the Difference Between an Egress Window and a Regular Basement Window?

A regular basement window is small — often 1 to 2 square feet of opening — and some don't open at all. An egress window must provide at least 5.7 square feet of clear opening, large enough for an adult to climb out in an emergency or a firefighter in full gear to climb in.

That size difference is the whole point: an egress window is a building-code emergency exit, not just a source of light. It's why a basement bedroom needs one and a basement storage room doesn't. Converting a regular window to egress usually means enlarging the foundation opening — which is work we do regularly.