According to South Carolina building codes, what is the minimum width required for emergency egress windows in bedrooms?
Correct Answer
D) 20 inches
South Carolina building codes require emergency egress windows in bedrooms to have a minimum width of 20 inches.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
South Carolina building codes (based on the IRC) require emergency escape and rescue openings (egress windows) to have a minimum net clear opening width of 20 inches. This is the minimum width dimension; the minimum height is 24 inches, and the minimum net clear opening area is 5.7 square feet (5.0 sq ft for grade floor openings).
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Option A: 24 inches
24 inches is the minimum HEIGHT requirement for egress windows, not the minimum width. A common error is swapping the height (24 inches) and width (20 inches) requirements. Both dimensions must be met, but the question specifically asks about width.
Option B: 22 inches
22 inches is not a standard IRC or SC building code dimension for egress window width. This is a plausible-sounding distractor between the correct 20-inch minimum and the 24-inch height requirement.
Option C: 30 inches
30 inches is not the minimum required width for egress windows. While larger windows are certainly permitted and may be preferable for ease of egress, the minimum code requirement for width is 20 inches. 30 inches may be confused with door width requirements.
Memory Technique
Width = 20, Height = 24. Remember '20/24' like a clock face: 20 minutes wide, 24 hours tall. Or: W for Width comes before H for Height in the alphabet, and 20 comes before 24 in the numbers — they match in order.
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