Fancy word for Exit

Fancy word for Exit

Egress is a fancy word which means "to leave a place". Every home is required to have an unobstructed means of egress (or exit). As a home inspector, I pay close attention to matters relating to safety.

Each room should have a means of egress. Windows are the method of choice in certain emergencies such as fire where the main egress door - usually the front door - is unreachable. Bedroom window sills should not be more than 44" above the floor to allow any occupant to escape. Also, I recommend you to double check your windows from time to time to ensure they are operable.

Double vs Single Cylinder 

A dangerous yet common issue that I find is with deadbolts. The two common types are double and single cylinder. Single cylinder units use a key to turn the lock on one side and a thumb-knob on the opposite side. Double cylinder units operate using a key on both sides. 

The picture shows a double cylinder deadbolt on a main egress door in a residential home. During an emergency the occupants in the home may be overwhelmed - locating and using a key may only add to the stress of the situation. I always recommend these be replaced with a single cylinder unit for safety reasons. What do you think?

Thomas Ailstock, CPI - FL# HI9155

Blue Bear Home Inspection, LLC

Tallahassee Home Inspector

Dedicated to providing the Best Service Possible