Egress windows for Fargo, West Fargo and Moorhead

How it works

1. Call or send a request

   Tell us your town and what you want to do with the basement.

2. We connect you

   Your call goes to an independent egress window installer that serves Fargo-Moorhead.

3. They call you back

   They look at the wall and yard, then quote the work directly.

Who is this for?

Homeowners, landlords and buyers in Fargo, West Fargo, Horace, Moorhead and Dilworth who want a basement room that people can safely sleep in. Most houses in the metro have full basements, and a lot of them were finished years ago with small hopper or slider windows set high in the wall. Those windows let in some light, but an adult usually can't climb out of one. If you're adding a bedroom, finishing more of the basement, or just want a real way out in a fire, an egress window is how you get there.

What makes a window an egress window?

The International Residential Code, which both Fargo and Moorhead enforce, calls it an emergency escape and rescue opening. The rules are about the opening you can actually crawl through when the window is fully open, not the size of the glass:

• At least 5.7 square feet of net clear opening, or 5.0 square feet for an opening at grade or below grade, like most basement windows
• At least 24 inches of clear height and 20 inches of clear width
• A sill no more than 44 inches above the floor (Fargo allows up to 48 inches for below-grade openings under a local amendment)
• A window well at least 36 inches out from the wall and 36 inches wide, with a ladder or steps once it's deeper than 44 inches
• Opens from inside without keys, tools or special knowledge, including any bars or cover over the well

Hitting both the minimum width and the minimum height doesn't automatically get you to the area requirement, which is why casement windows are popular for basements: they swing fully open and give the most clear opening for the size of the hole.

Why basement egress is different here

• Lake Agassiz clay. Fargo and West Fargo sit on the bed of glacial Lake Agassiz. The North Dakota Geological Survey describes the soft, expansive Brenna and Sherack clays under the area, with the Brenna running about 70 feet thick around Fargo. Digging a deep well in heavy, wet clay takes more care than digging in sand, and backfill around the well has to be done right so it doesn't settle.
• High spring water. When the rivers run high, the water table near the Sheyenne can sit only a few feet below the surface. A window well that isn't tied into drainage can become a bathtub against your basement window.
• Long winters. Fargo averages about 51 inches of snow a year and 43 days at or below zero. Wells fill with drifted snow, and a cover has to keep the snow out without trapping anyone in.

What does the job usually involve?

1. Pick the spot. The installer checks the room layout, utilities, the slope of the yard, the property line and anything outside that's in the way, like a deck, air conditioner or sidewalk.
2. Permit and locates. The contractor applies for the city permit and calls for utility locates before digging.
3. Excavate outside. A hole is dug down past the bottom of the new opening, with room for the well and drainage.
4. Cut the foundation. Poured concrete is cut with a diamond saw; block walls need the cut cores and edges filled and capped. A header or lintel may be needed over a wider opening.
5. Set the window and well. The new window is framed in, sealed and flashed, and the well is set, drained and backfilled.
6. Finish inside. Interior trim or drywall returns, then the city inspection.

Is it legal to sleep in a basement room without one?

Under the residential code, every sleeping room needs an escape opening, and so does a basement. If you're creating a new bedroom in an existing basement, plan on an egress window, or in some cases a full fire sprinkler system as an alternative. Calling a room a "den" or "office" in a listing doesn't change who is actually sleeping there. Landlords and anyone selling a house with basement bedrooms should be especially careful. More on basement bedroom code compliance.

Signs your current basement window isn't enough

• You can't fit your shoulders through it with the window wide open
• The sill is chest height or higher, with nothing to step on
• The well is too small to open the window all the way
• The well is deep with no ladder or steps
• There's a heavy grate or locked cover over the well
• Water or ice collects in the well every spring

Are you an egress window company?

No. Fargo Egress Windows is a referral service. We connect you with an independent egress window or foundation cutting contractor that serves your address, and that company quotes, performs and stands behind the work. Read our tips for hiring an egress window contractor and the Fargo egress window guide before you hire anyone.

Areas we cover

• Fargo
• West Fargo
• Moorhead

Planning ahead? Read our Fargo egress window guide.