What Is An Egress Door? Egress Door Different From A Regular Door?
What Is An Egress Door?
An egress door is a critical safety feature in any building, as it is designed to allow for easy and safe escape in the event of an emergency or evacuation. The term “egress door” refers not only to the main exit door, but also to all doors along the path of egress leading to the emergency exit.
These doors must meet specific safety standards set by local fire marshals and building inspectors, and must be easily accessible and unlocked in the event of an emergency.
Egress doors must be a certain width to ensure that they are easily accessible to all occupants of the building. In new buildings, egress doors must be at least 32 inches wide, while in existing structures, they must be at least 28 inches wide.
No single exit door can be wider than 48 inches, as the size and weight of the door may slow evacuation. Additionally, egress doors must swing in the direction of egress if the building has more than 50 occupants, or if the building is at a high risk for fire emergencies.
The locking mechanisms on egress doors are also critical to safety. All locks must be able to be unlocked using a single motion from inside the room, and double-sided deadbolts are not allowed as they cannot be unlocked from inside the space at all times.
All locking devices must permit re-entry into the building from a stairwell, and chains, bolts, or bars are not allowed on the door when the building is occupied.
It’s important to note that an egress door is not the same as a fire door. Fire doors are designed to reduce the spread of flames and smoke during a fire, and are equipped with a fire-resistant core and specialty hardware to ensure they stay closed and latched during a fire.
Egress doors, on the other hand, are designed specifically to allow for quick and safe egress during any type of emergency, and may or may not be fire-rated. They are meant to allow as many people as possible to exit without panic or injury.
How Is An Egress Door Different From A Regular Door?
Egress doors play a crucial role in ensuring the safety of building occupants by providing a quick and easy means of escape in case of emergency. Because of this, they are subject to strict regulations that must be followed to ensure compliance with safety standards.
Unlike regular doors, which can come in any shape or size and do not need to provide handicap access, egress doors have specific requirements.
They must be at least 32 inches wide and no more than 48 inches wide, open outward and have a panic button or panic bar that allows easy, single-motion escape. Locking mechanisms that require more than one action, such as deadbolts, are not allowed.
It’s important to note that buildings that provide access to public areas are also subject to ADA regulations for handicap accessibility. Additionally, other safety regulations and precautions may apply.
Is An Egress Door And A Fire Door The Same?
Egress doors are meant for emergency exits, while fire doors have a fire-resistant core and are meant to prevent the spread of fire.
They also have special mechanisms to keep them closed during a fire and require annual inspections. The Flying Locksmiths are certified inspectors who can answer any questions you may have. Not all egress doors are designed to stop the spread of fire even though some may meet the requirements for a fire door.
Is Egress Door Necessary In Your Home?
It is required for a home to have at least one egress door for emergency exit. It is recommended to have two egress doors located at opposite ends of the home. Additionally, bedrooms should have an egress window for fire evacuation.
Egress doors in private homes do not have panic buttons or panic bars and have less strict locking regulations compared to those in public buildings. However, the door should still be easy for all household members to unlock.
