Replacing wood windows

Building Codes
Tempered or laminated glass must be used in the following locations:

• Glazing in doors and enclosures for hot tubs, whirlpools, saunas, steam rooms, bathtubs and showers. Glazing in any portion of a building wall enclosing these compartments where the bottom exposed edge of the glazing is less than 60 inches above a standing surface and drain inlet.
• Glazing adjacent to a door where the nearest exposed edge of the glazing is within a 24-inch arc of either vertical edge of the door in a closed position and where the bottom exposed edge of the glazing is less than 60-inches above the walking surface.
  EXCEPTION: Tempered is not required when there is an intervening wall or other permanent barrier located between the door and the glazing.
  
  
• Glazing in fixed or operable panels, other than those locations described in items 2 and 3 above, that meets all of the following conditions:
• Exposed area of an individual pane greater than 9 square feet
• Exposed bottom edge less than 18 inches above the floor
• Exposed top edge greater than 36 inches above the floor
• One or more walking surfaces within 36 inches horizontally of the plane of the glazing
  EXCEPTION: Tempered is not required when a protective bar is installed on the accessible sides of the glazing 34 inches to 38 inches above the floor. The bar shall be capable of withstanding a horizontal load of 50 pounds per linear foot without contacting the glass and be a minimum of 1-1/2 inches in height.
  
  
• Glazing in any hand railing regardless of height above a walking surface
• Glazing in walls and fences used as the barrier for indoor and outdoor swimming pools and spa when all of the following conditions are present:
  • The bottom edge of the glazing is less than 60 inches above the walking surface on the pool side of the glazing
    The glazing is within 5 feet of a swimming pool or spa deck area
  • Glazing in walls enclosing stairway landings or within 5 feet of the bottom and top of stairways where the bottom edge of the glass is less than 60 inches above a walking surface
    NOTE: Refer to Section 2406 - Safety Glazing, 1994 Uniform Building Code for reference of the above information.
    
    
    Egress
• All basement windows
• All bedrooms below the fourth story
• Minimum clear openable dimensions:
  • Width = 20"
  • Height = 24"
  • Area = 5.7 square feet
  • Finished sill height = 44"maximum
  • Rough opening height of sill = 42" maximum
    NOTE: The minimum area requirement prevents you from using minimum height and minimum width on the same window