Egress windows · Northeast Ohio
One window could save a life.
When a fire starts upstairs, smoke pours down the basement stairs first — and for anyone sleeping down there, the stairs are usually the only way out. An egress window gives your family a second exit, and firefighters a way in.
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- 30-year warranty
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The two-minute problem
A basement bedroom with one way out isn’t a safe bedroom.
Smoke rises. The stairwell is the chimney. By the time the alarm wakes someone downstairs, the path they’d normally take out may already be gone.
Maybe less.
That’s how little time you may have to get out once a home fire starts.
Most basements have one.
The stairs — the first place smoke and heat travel when a fire starts above.
The code minimum.
Clear opening a basement sleeping room’s escape window needs. Most old basement windows don’t come close.
Max sill height.
The window has to be low enough for a child to climb through — not up by the ceiling.
Sources: American Red Cross home-fire guidance; Residential Code of Ohio / International Residential Code §R310 (emergency escape and rescue openings).
See the difference
Two ways out. Every time.
Flip between today and after an egress window. It’s the same basement — with a very different night.
Today: one way out — straight through the smoke.
The only exit runs up the stairwell toward the fire. The basement window is too small and too high to climb through, and too small for a firefighter to come in.
With egress: a second exit, steps from the bed.
A code-sized window low in the wall and a well with a built-in ladder or steps. Out and up to the yard — and a way in for firefighters if someone can’t get out on their own.
60-second self-check
Would your basement window pass?
Grab a tape measure. Open the window all the way and measure the clear opening — not the glass, not the frame.
Your window
Or start with a common size:
Your result
- ✕At least 5.7 sq ft open3.1 ft²
- ✕At least 20″ wide32″
- ✕At least 24″ tall14″
- ✕Sill no higher than 44″60″
A quick self-check against the Residential Code of Ohio (IRC §R310) for below-grade openings. The well outside matters too — at least 9 sq ft, 36″ out from the wall, and a ladder or steps if it’s deeper than 44″. Your local building department has the final word; we’ll confirm your exact requirements at the free check.
More than a way out
The safety upgrade that also makes the basement better.
A second way out
Anyone sleeping downstairs gets an exit that doesn’t run through the rest of the house — and firefighters get a way in.
Daylight & fresh air
A real window turns a dark, closed-in basement into a room people actually want to spend time in.
A bedroom that counts
Without a code-compliant escape opening, a basement room generally can’t be listed as a bedroom. With one, it can — and that shows up at resale.
Why Eco-Seal
Cutting into your foundation? Hire the people who keep water out.
The worry with any egress window is the new opening in your basement wall. That’s exactly where we live — Eco-Seal has been waterproofing basements and repairing foundations across Ohio since 2008.
- Code-compliant window sizing, placement & well depth
- Wells built to drain — not to collect water against your wall
- Backed by our 30-year warranty
Pick your look
Safe doesn’t have to look like a hole in the yard.
We install proven window-well systems from Rockwell and Bilco — and help you choose the one that fits your home.
Rockwell
A natural stone look that blends into landscaping instead of standing out.
Built-in steps
Deeper wells with steps molded right in — an easy climb out for kids and adults.
Rockwell Denali
What it looks like from inside: daylight and a view where there used to be a wall.
Bilco StakWel
A clean, modular well that stacks to the depth your window needs.
How it works
From “is our basement safe?” to sleeping easy.
Free egress check
We come out, measure your windows, and find the best spot for a code-compliant exit.
Your plan, in writing
Window, well style, and a clear price. No pressure — take your time deciding.
Install day
We cut the opening, set the window and well, build in drainage, and clean up after ourselves.
Two ways out
Everyone downstairs has a second exit — and you get daylight in the bargain.
What homeowners say
“I have had Eco Seal do several projects in my home including egress window and carbon fiber support for my foundation… They offer you the right solution and not just one that they can make the most revenue on.”
Harry J. · Google review“Caleb is honest, knowledgeable, and takes the time to help problem-solve basement concerns. Excellent customer service, clear communication, and no pressure. It’s refreshing to work with someone you can trust!”
Meg H. · Google review“I had 2 other companies out and Caleb was the only one that I felt like would do the job appropriately but also not make us do unnecessary work for more money.”
Lindsay M. · Google reviewLocal, and here to stay
Millersburg-based. Basement specialists since 2008.
Waterproofing & foundation work across Ohio & western PA
Foundations serviced every year
Warranty on our work
Egress check & written estimate
3530 County Road 58, Millersburg, OH 44654 · 330-893-7325
Good questions
Egress windows, answered.
Do I actually need an egress window?
If anyone sleeps in the basement — or you’re finishing it into living space — Ohio’s residential code calls for an emergency escape opening. Even if you’re not remodeling, it’s the difference between one way out and two. At the free check we’ll tell you honestly whether you need one.
Will a new window make my basement leak?
Not when it’s done right — and keeping basements dry is our main business. We seal the new opening and build the well to drain, so water goes down and away instead of collecting against your wall.
How big does the window have to be?
For a basement, the open window needs at least 5.7 sq ft of clear space, at least 20″ wide and 24″ tall, with the bottom no more than 44″ off the floor. The well outside needs at least 9 sq ft and 36″ of room, plus a ladder or steps if it’s deeper than 44″. Try the self-check above.
Does an egress window add value?
It can. A basement room generally needs a code-compliant escape opening to be listed as a bedroom, so an egress window can turn “bonus room” into a bedroom on the listing — plus more light and a more livable space.
What does it cost?
It depends on your wall, how deep the window sits, and the well you pick. The free check ends with a written price — no guessing, no pressure. Financing is available.
Everyone downstairs deserves two ways out.
Book a free egress safety check. We’ll measure, explain your options, and give you a written price — no pressure.
Eco-Seal Home Solutions · Millersburg, Ohio · Since 2008