Egress windows for St. Cloud basements

How it works

1. Call or send a request

   Tell us your city and what you want done in the basement.

2. We connect you

   We pass it to an independent egress contractor that serves St. Cloud and nearby towns.

3. They call you back

   They visit, measure, explain the permit and quote the job themselves.

What is an egress window, and when do you need one?

An egress window, which the Minnesota Residential Code calls an emergency escape and rescue opening, is a window big enough and low enough for someone to climb out of during a fire, and for a firefighter in full gear to climb in. According to the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI), basements, habitable attics and every sleeping room need at least one. When a basement has bedrooms, each of those bedrooms needs its own. So if you're turning part of a St. Cloud basement into a place where someone sleeps, plan on an egress window for that room.

How big does the opening have to be?

DLI's fact sheet on the current code lists these minimums:

• Net clear opening: at least 5.7 square feet, or 5 square feet for an opening at or below grade, which is where most basement windows sit
• Clear height: at least 24 inches
• Clear width: at least 20 inches
• Sill height: no more than 44 inches above the floor

Those are measured on the open window, not the outside of the frame. A window that meets 24 by 20 can still miss the area requirement, which is why casement and large sliding windows are common choices. Your contractor will pick a unit that clears every number at once.

What about the window well?

When the sill sits below the ground, the code requires a well outside it. DLI lists a minimum of 9 square feet of floor area, at least 36 inches out from the wall and 36 inches wide, and it has to let the window open all the way. Any well deeper than 44 inches needs a permanently attached ladder or steps. Wells also have to drain, either into the foundation drain system or another approved method, though the code waives that on well-drained soils. More on egress window wells.

Why do St. Cloud basements need special attention?

• Long winters. St. Cloud averages close to 48 inches of snow a year. A well that drifts full or a cover frozen shut doesn't help anyone get out, so covers and clearing matter here.
• Mixed ground. The Minnesota DNR describes the sand plain around this part of the Mississippi as mostly sandy, well-drained soil, and notes bedrock is exposed in places around St. Cloud. One yard may dig easily, while a lot near a granite outcrop can be slower going.
• Older block foundations. Some older homes have concrete block basement walls with small, high windows. Making a code-size opening there means cutting block and adding a header.
• Rentals near campus. With St. Cloud State University in town, plenty of houses are rented to students. A basement room rented as a bedroom needs the same escape opening as any other bedroom.

Does St. Cloud require a permit?

Yes, in most cases. The City of St. Cloud lists finished basements and replacement windows among the residential projects that need a building permit, and cutting a new or larger opening in a foundation wall is structural work. Permits are handled by the city's Building Safety Department and applied for through its online Accela portal. The city's window handout asks for a site plan showing how far the well will be from the property line, plus a floor plan with the new window size and header when an opening is enlarged. If you live in Sartell, Sauk Rapids, Waite Park or a township, check with your own city or county about who issues the permit.

What does a typical egress project involve?

1. Locating buried utilities through Gopher State One Call before anyone digs
2. Excavating outside the wall where the well will go
3. Saw-cutting the concrete or block and installing a header if needed
4. Setting the window, sealing it and finishing the inside opening
5. Installing the well, gravel and drainage, then backfilling and grading
6. Adding a ladder or steps for a deep well, and a cover if you want one
7. City inspections along the way and at the end

Are you an egress window company?

No. St. Cloud Egress Windows is a referral service. We connect you with an independent contractor that serves your address, and that contractor quotes, performs and warranties the work. Read our tips for hiring an egress contractor and the St. Cloud egress window guide before you sign anything.

Areas we cover

• St. Cloud
• Sartell
• Sauk Rapids
• Waite Park

Planning ahead? Read our St. Cloud egress window guide.