Anonymous
Post 10/21/2014 21:34     Subject: Re:Fairfax County - can someone (not renter, family member) sleep in a bedroom without egress window
Anonymous wrote:Radon gas is probably a bigger worry.

Yes, family can live in the basement. However it is not safe if there is a fire.



PP. Radon gas is nothing. What about asbestos? Or mold? Or carbon monoxide. Or underground termites. Or camelback crickets. Or off-gassing from carpeting. Or water seeping out of the sump pump.
Anonymous
Post 10/21/2014 20:59     Subject: Re:Fairfax County - can someone (not renter, family member) sleep in a bedroom without egress window
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP here. Unfortunately MIL will have to live in the basement. It is that or the nursing home. Nothing about this situation is ideal anyway you look at it, but it is what it is. We are doing the best we can.


If she is disabled its even more of a safety issue. Why not make the basement into a legal master bedroom for you?


Because I have young children.


How young?


2m and 4y old
Anonymous
Post 10/21/2014 20:58     Subject: Re:Fairfax County - can someone (not renter, family member) sleep in a bedroom without egress window
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP here. Unfortunately MIL will have to live in the basement. It is that or the nursing home. Nothing about this situation is ideal anyway you look at it, but it is what it is. We are doing the best we can.


If she is disabled its even more of a safety issue. Why not make the basement into a legal master bedroom for you?


Because I have young children.


How young?
Anonymous
Post 10/21/2014 20:18     Subject: Re:Fairfax County - can someone (not renter, family member) sleep in a bedroom without egress window
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP here. Unfortunately MIL will have to live in the basement. It is that or the nursing home. Nothing about this situation is ideal anyway you look at it, but it is what it is. We are doing the best we can.


If she is disabled its even more of a safety issue. Why not make the basement into a legal master bedroom for you?


Because I have young children.
Anonymous
Post 10/21/2014 20:13     Subject: Re:Fairfax County - can someone (not renter, family member) sleep in a bedroom without egress window
Anonymous wrote:OP here. Unfortunately MIL will have to live in the basement. It is that or the nursing home. Nothing about this situation is ideal anyway you look at it, but it is what it is. We are doing the best we can.


If she is disabled its even more of a safety issue. Why not make the basement into a legal master bedroom for you?
Anonymous
Post 10/21/2014 20:10     Subject: Fairfax County - can someone (not renter, family member) sleep in a bedroom without egress window?
Anonymous wrote:Wouldn't the fact that it is walkout eliminate the need for an egress window? If you could get to the door just as easily as you could get out of the window, why wouldn't you??

If i'm in the basement and there's a fire, I'm either going up the stairs and out the front door or I'm going out the basement door to the backyard. Why the hell am I going to the trouble of knocking out a window that is 6' above the ground and wiggling out of it when there are two other possible exits?


It's not about you getting out of the window, it's about a firefighter being able to enter with a tank on his back-that's why there is a size requirement for the window.
Anonymous
Post 10/21/2014 20:00     Subject: Re:Fairfax County - can someone (not renter, family member) sleep in a bedroom without egress window
OP here. Unfortunately MIL will have to live in the basement. It is that or the nursing home. Nothing about this situation is ideal anyway you look at it, but it is what it is. We are doing the best we can.
Anonymous
Post 10/21/2014 19:58     Subject: Fairfax County - can someone (not renter, family member) sleep in a bedroom without egress window?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I am pretty certain no one regulates where in your house you can sleep. The county does not police these things. You can sleep wherever you like. People all over the County sleep in bedrooms with no egress and are grandfathered in under the old law (which did not require egress windows). However, if you make changes to the basement, then you are required to bring the space up to code (and install an egress window). In other words, there is no law that says your MIL can't sleep in your basement without an egress window. However, if you renovate the basement and don't install an egress window, you will be in violation and can be fined and/or prevented from selling your house.


If there is a fire and someone gets hurt or injured you will have insurance problems at a minimum. It is also criminal.


Doubt it. The guests assumed the risks.

OP - this would only be an issue if you were renting it out.
the guest does not assume the risk. This would be solely in the homeowners and insurance would be the least of their concerns.


What would be the concern if not insurance (as in, no one suing)? I can't believe there is any criminal repercussion because I have never heard of anyone being charged with anything when they let someone sleep in a bedroom without windows or egress window in the case of basements. I know people who even turned their walk in closets into nursery.
Anonymous
Post 10/21/2014 19:57     Subject: Re:Fairfax County - can someone (not renter, family member) sleep in a bedroom without egress window
Radon gas is probably a bigger worry.

Yes, family can live in the basement. However it is not safe if there is a fire.
Anonymous
Post 10/21/2014 19:18     Subject: Fairfax County - can someone (not renter, family member) sleep in a bedroom without egress window?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I am pretty certain no one regulates where in your house you can sleep. The county does not police these things. You can sleep wherever you like. People all over the County sleep in bedrooms with no egress and are grandfathered in under the old law (which did not require egress windows). However, if you make changes to the basement, then you are required to bring the space up to code (and install an egress window). In other words, there is no law that says your MIL can't sleep in your basement without an egress window. However, if you renovate the basement and don't install an egress window, you will be in violation and can be fined and/or prevented from selling your house.


If there is a fire and someone gets hurt or injured you will have insurance problems at a minimum. It is also criminal.


Doubt it. The guests assumed the risks.

OP - this would only be an issue if you were renting it out.
the guest does not assume the risk. This would be solely in the homeowners and insurance would be the least of their concerns.
Anonymous
Post 10/21/2014 19:17     Subject: Fairfax County - can someone (not renter, family member) sleep in a bedroom without egress window?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I am pretty certain no one regulates where in your house you can sleep. The county does not police these things. You can sleep wherever you like. People all over the County sleep in bedrooms with no egress and are grandfathered in under the old law (which did not require egress windows). However, if you make changes to the basement, then you are required to bring the space up to code (and install an egress window). In other words, there is no law that says your MIL can't sleep in your basement without an egress window. However, if you renovate the basement and don't install an egress window, you will be in violation and can be fined and/or prevented from selling your house.


If there is a fire and someone gets hurt or injured you will have insurance problems at a minimum. It is also criminal.


Doubt it. The guests assumed the risks.

OP - this would only be an issue if you were renting it out.
Anonymous
Post 10/21/2014 13:33     Subject: Fairfax County - can someone (not renter, family member) sleep in a bedroom without egress window?
Anonymous wrote:I am pretty certain no one regulates where in your house you can sleep. The county does not police these things. You can sleep wherever you like. People all over the County sleep in bedrooms with no egress and are grandfathered in under the old law (which did not require egress windows). However, if you make changes to the basement, then you are required to bring the space up to code (and install an egress window). In other words, there is no law that says your MIL can't sleep in your basement without an egress window. However, if you renovate the basement and don't install an egress window, you will be in violation and can be fined and/or prevented from selling your house.


If there is a fire and someone gets hurt or injured you will have insurance problems at a minimum. It is also criminal.
Anonymous
Post 10/21/2014 13:24     Subject: Fairfax County - can someone (not renter, family member) sleep in a bedroom without egress window?
I am pretty certain no one regulates where in your house you can sleep. The county does not police these things. You can sleep wherever you like. People all over the County sleep in bedrooms with no egress and are grandfathered in under the old law (which did not require egress windows). However, if you make changes to the basement, then you are required to bring the space up to code (and install an egress window). In other words, there is no law that says your MIL can't sleep in your basement without an egress window. However, if you renovate the basement and don't install an egress window, you will be in violation and can be fined and/or prevented from selling your house.
Anonymous
Post 10/15/2014 13:45     Subject: Fairfax County - can someone (not renter, family member) sleep in a bedroom without egress window?
Anonymous wrote:Wouldn't the fact that it is walkout eliminate the need for an egress window? If you could get to the door just as easily as you could get out of the window, why wouldn't you??

If i'm in the basement and there's a fire, I'm either going up the stairs and out the front door or I'm going out the basement door to the backyard. Why the hell am I going to the trouble of knocking out a window that is 6' above the ground and wiggling out of it when there are two other possible exits?


No the law says you must have two forms of exit, through a window egress and via the door. http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/publications/basements/details.pdf
Anonymous
Post 10/15/2014 13:22     Subject: Fairfax County - can someone (not renter, family member) sleep in a bedroom without egress window?
Anonymous wrote:Wouldn't the fact that it is walkout eliminate the need for an egress window? If you could get to the door just as easily as you could get out of the window, why wouldn't you??

If i'm in the basement and there's a fire, I'm either going up the stairs and out the front door or I'm going out the basement door to the backyard. Why the hell am I going to the trouble of knocking out a window that is 6' above the ground and wiggling out of it when there are two other possible exits?


Well, in this case it is a room inside the basement, so if there is a fire in the basement common area, the person could only leave through the window.