Tips for Home Window Safety

 

When it comes to home safety, you cannot take anything for granted. Your home’s windows let the natural light shine in, and they also protect your family from the elements. Buy it is important to keep home safety in mind when dealing with windows to prevent injury and property damage. A little focus on window safety can make a big difference in your family’s quality of life.

Avoid Creating Access

When you put tables or other furniture in front of your windows, you are giving young children and pets access to those windows as well. If you open your windows in the summer to let in fresh air, then that furniture in front of your windows has just become a serious hazard to your children and pets.

Avoid putting furniture near your windows to prevent any potential disaster. Do not make the mistake of thinking that putting your furniture a foot away from your windows will make the situation better. Your child could try to bridge the gap between the couch and the window and get seriously injured.

Don’t Trust Screens

Window screens were designed to keep pests and debris out of your home when you have your windows open. However, screens are not strong enough to keep children and pets inside of your home. Don’t trust your screens to prevent your children or pets from falling out of windows, and always check your screens to make sure they are properly installed and do not have any rips in them.

Softening The Blow

Children can be unpredictable and there is no guarantee that the measures you take to keep your windows safe will always be effective. If you have small children, then you should plant soft shrubs and other soft plants under your windows to help cushion any fall. You can choose colorful plants to give your landscaping some character, and you can also make the areas below your windows softer with mulch and other planting materials.

In An Emergency

Window locks that lock from the inside and impact-resistant windows will help keep intruders out while allowing your family to escape in an emergency. You can add window alarms for added security, and you should also include landscape lighting to prevent your planted soft landing areas from becoming places intruders can hide.

Low E Glass

Low E glass cuts down on the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun that can fade your furniture and carpets, and make your home unbearably hot during the summer. When you have new windows installed in your home, get windows with low E glass to help keep the ultraviolet rays out.

Practice Escape Routes

Your windows may be the only way out of your home in an emergency, but small children tend to hide in emergency situations. When your family regularly practices escape routes for emergencies such as a fire or flood, everyone will know which windows to use and your children will understand that there is a way to get out of the dangerous situation safely.

Windows are important parts of any home, but they can also present safety issues. With some planning and preparation, you can eliminate window dangers in your home and create a safer environment for your family.