Is an egress window with a sill greater than 44 inches from the floor a required reporting item and deficient? Will advising the client to place a climbable object (such as the chest) supersede the need to identify the item as deficient?
The answer to the first question is “No”. The standards of practice are not based on a specific requirement such as those promulgated by model building codes. The requirements for emergency escape and rescue openings in sleeping rooms and the sill heights and sizes of the emergency escape openings in sleeping rooms have varied through the years. The inspector must use “reasonable judgment” in determining if the emergency escape and rescue openings are sufficient for the intended purpose of the openings for the inspector’s client. In response to the 2nd question, an inspector must keep in mind that his role is primarily to document the condition of the home at the time of the inspection per §535.227(b)(1). An inspector is not required to recommend “fixes”.