Top 3 Benefits of Installing Egress Windows

Safety, Natural Light, and Return on Investment

When looking for a new home to purchase, one of the most important factors that buyers consider is the light and feel in the basement. Many basements are seen as dark and dreary, which is pointless in today's world, as we all aim to capitalize on additional square footage and usable family space. For the top resale value, a basement is looked at as an extension of your main living area, complete with natural lighting, warm flooring, and nice decor. One way to utilize the space within a basement is to install egress windows. According to the IRC 2021 (International Residential Code) pertains to all single and two family homes in every habitable space (used for sleeping purposes), and requires a means of egress in basement level living spaces. The reasoning for this is twofold; to allow for an exit in case of an emergency, and to provide access for a firefighter to gain entrance.  

Let's find out some ways that the Kansas City market is seeing the highest rate of return on home purchases. Continue reading to see the top 3 benefits of installing egress windows.

Companies like PierMagic specialize in installing an egress window correctly, while focusing on foundation and concrete stabilization. The crew has experience not only with egress window installation, but also with foundation piering, repairs, wall bowing, and foundation grading. This will ensure the installation doesn't cause any issues with the housing foundation or slab. Let's explore the Top 3 benefits of Installing Egress Windows for homebuyers across the Kansas City metro area to ensure basement space gains the Return on Investment it deserves. 

Top 3 Benefits of Installing Egress Windows Includes Safety, Natural Light, and ROI

Safety

The first benefit of installing egress windows is safety. We've all had scenarios run through our heads about household fires or flooding and escape routes... you have endings that send you into a panic, and you have those that can allow you to rest assured that you have the best solution possible. With a basement, especially one with bedrooms or livable space, an easy and accessible escape route is required by code. One may ask... why would you need any other route besides the stairway to the basement? Simple answer... if it becomes blocked or the fire is already engulfing that area, you need an alternate route. An effective solution is an egress window.  

Natural light

Basements have often been viewed as dingy and dark, which is the opposite of an inviting feel. As homeowners, our goal is to optimize the amount of livable space throughout the home, which can be done by utilizing natural light. Natural sunlight is one of the most important elements of potential buyers, and is crucial throughout our daily life. According to healthline.com a few of the top health benefits of natural light is boosting vitamin D, warding off seasonal depression, and improving sleep. 

Voice of America reports, "COVID-19 forced U.S. employers to allow telework on a massive scale, resulting in an estimated 75 million people working from home over the past year."

As so many more Americans are working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, and will continue to do so for the unforeseeable future, home offices have moved to the basement of homes. According to Future Workplace’s survey, over 1,600 employees ranked “access to natural light and views of the outdoors” as their number one desire for a workplace environment. As we focus on home offices as longer term solutions for making a space more of a natural work environment, especially in basements, let's focus on adding egress windows into the space. Just as your main floor and upstairs living space requires renovations or maintenance, don't neglect that basement space!

Natural lighting in your home can reduce mold and mildew growth in that damp basement area. As we all know, mold and mildew are dangerous spores and can trigger allergies or respiratory issues. As most basements are built as dark, cooler, and damp spaces, molds and mildews thrive in those environments. Natural light will decrease the growth of these fungi, keeping the basement space healthy and clean! 

Increased resale value and return on investment

According to Popular Mechanics magazine , “with an extra legal bedroom [in the basement], you could recover 10 to 20 times your window installation cost when you eventually sell your home.” As we know, the housing market in 2021 is hot, so optimizing your ROI is top of mind. One way to 'legalize' a bedroom in the basement is an egress window. This again will bring value to your home, and increases the amount of bedrooms in a home. This can attract different potential buyers as the number of bedrooms increases. Again, this space can also be advertised as a home office in the basement, which is almost crucial right now with 1 in 2 Americans working from home.  

As we review the Top 3 Benefits of Installing Egress Windows, we can see the value, safety, health benefits, and ROI that will be seen with installing egress windows in your basement. Our team at PierMagic can provide a free estimate on your project - simply give us a call to get started! 816-765-8400