In California, a bedroom has to have (at a minimum) two exit paths, one of which leads directly to the outside (this is one reason why a house cannot "technically" have a bedroom in the middle of the improvement surrounded by other rooms). The doorway is one exit. A window is typically the second exit. The "window" needs to be
1. Of a certain dimension so a normal person (Ok, even a little "bigger" than normal person like me!) can crawl out.
2. The window needs to be
A. Unobstructed.
B. If obstructed by security bars, then those security bars need to have a safety release mechanism that requires "no special instruction or knowledge" to operate from the inside; such as
- A pull chain.
- A kick or push-plate.
- A simple lever device.
The release system cannot be "key operated" with a special key (on a lock).
A bedroom can have a door, and two windows (assume all windows are leading to the outside): One has security bars with no safety release system, the other security bars with safety release system. Therefore, this bedroom has two qualified exists (doorway and window with safety release system).
Same bedroom, both windows have security bars without safety release mechanisms; thats a fire code violation.
Same bedroom, one window with security bars & no safety release, the other window without any security bars/obstructions. This bedroom has two unobstructed exits, and is fine (even though one of the windows has security bars without releases, there is another window to use as an escape).
Remember, the critical issues are:
A. Bedrooms.
B. Two unobstructed fire exits.
C. A window with safety bars can be considered as a fire exit if there is a safety release system that isn't key operated, padlocked, require some code or secret handshake/training/information or special tool to operate.
Finally, I never "condition" my reports that these items must be fixed; if the bedroom has a window with security bars, I simply note if there is a safety release mechanism present or not and take a photo of it. I leave it to the lender to decide what to do from there. I recommend that when you find a bedroom with security bars, you photo the window, indicate its location on the sketch, and be very clear in your report if a safety release mechanism exists, and if there is another window (or, second door going to the outside) available for use as an exit from the bedroom.
Good luck.
community for the discussion of real estate appraisal. Register a free account to be able to post and unlock additional forums and features.
