& Building In Southern California  

Get a Online Estimate for all of your Remodeling Projects

 Meet Building Codes

Well before the patio doors and windows arrive at the site for installation, planning and research should be done to choose a window or patio door that fits the situation. Check the local building department's requirements regarding egress, safety glass, and grade (structural integrity) before obtaining estimates and bids.

Window and Door Egress

Installing retrofit windows and patio doors, especially when the existing window and patio frames are left in place, can significantly reduce the size of the clear opening by as much as 2 inches of height and 3 inches of width. This may prevent emergency egress. That is, occupants may not be able to get out, and rescuers may not be able to get in, if there's a fire.

Most model building codes specify egress requirements for sleeping rooms in the first three stories. They require at least one operable window or exterior door, approved for emergency escape or rescue, to open directly onto a public street, alley, yard, or court. If the emergency escape is a window, it must be operable from the inside without the use of tools. It must provide a minimum clear opening with a minimum width of 20 inches and height of 24 inches and the finished sill may be no more than 44 inches above the floor. Patio door glass must be tempered and if a window is less than 18 inches above the floor, its glass must be tempered.

Safety Glass

Safety glass crumbles into relatively safe little chunks resembling hailstones. Most codes require safety glass (almost always tempered glass) to be installed where a window may be subject to human impact. This includes all entrance doors; windows adjacent to a door when the glass is within a 24-inch arc of the closed door (increased from 12 inches in 1994) and the bottom of the window is less than 60 inches above the walking surface; and windows larger than 9 sq.ft. when the bottom is less than 18 inches above the floor, the top is more than 36 inches above the floor, and a walking surface is within 36 inches horizontally of the window.

Consider cost and timing well in advance, because tempered glass costs more and usually requires more lead time at the manufacturer, especially for custom-sized units. High-performance windows with spectrally selective coatings require even longer lead times.

Grade

Even a well-installed window with the best thermal characteristics can leak during a gusty rainstorm if the window is not the proper grade. Grade refers to the structural capability of the window, or its capacity to resist wind loads and to seal against air and water penetration (see "How to Select the Correct Grade of Window"). When the wrong grade of window is installed, the combination of wind pressure and driving rain can force water through the seals between the operable sash, the frame, and through weep holes.

.

Cell # 760-420-9829

Serving Southern California

for over 24 Years