Should I be as concerned with garage and egress window efficiency as I am with other house windows?
alumniu
| Posted in Energy Efficiency and Durability on
I’ve spec’d out Intus Arcade windows on the main level, but I haven’t put much thought into the windows that will be installed in the egress openings in the basement. My concrete contractor says he usually does “Monarch” brand egress kits (poured in place?).
Can I substitute an Intus window here instead? Any special installation considerations? Im not familiar with how egress windows are installed.
Similar question with the garage windows.
Should I attempt to save money by NOT using Intus windows in the garage? The garage will be insulated, but we all know how drafty garage doors are.
FWIW: Climate zone 5
Thanks-
Adam
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Replies
Adam,
Q. "Can I substitute an Intus window here instead? I'm not familiar with how egress windows are installed."
A. In most cases, an egress window is not a special kind of window. It's just a window -- usually the same brand of window installed elsewhere in the home. All that matters is that (a) the window is operable, not fixed, and (b) the window opening size meets minimum requirements specified in the code, and (c) the window is mounted the correct distance from the floor, as specified by the building code.
So, if you have chosen Intus windows, you can certainly choose an Intus window that meets egress requirements.
Q. "Should I attempt to save money by NOT using Intus windows in the garage?"
A. It's rare for homeowners to keep their garage heated to 72 degrees F all winter. What's the plan for this garage? If it is going to be heated, I suppose an argument could be made in favor of spec'ing expensive high-performance windows. However, if the garage is like most garages -- rarely if ever heated -- most owners would probably prefer to save some money and choose less expensive windows for the garage.
If you mean the basic hoppers or sliders in the basement, I can tell you what I did. I order Marvin fiberglass Integrity Windows without the nailing flange (replacement style) in black, with white fiberglass on the inside. They are slider configuration. I made rough openings for them in the forms so that they can be mortared into place in the foundation. They are much nicer than the kind the mason is offering you. There are six factory colors I believe including the popular white, but also black, bronze and tan, and more.