18 April 2016
 Categories: , Blog

Children are often overly curious and completely fearless. They have no sense of imminent danger when it comes to opening a second-story window and sticking their little heads and bodies halfway out. As a parent, that can be absolutely terrifying since it would be your fault if your child fell out of the window, dropped to the ground or concrete below and was badly injured or fatally wounded. To prevent these types of accidents from occurring, you can replace the windows (by professionals such as those from Gilkey Windows) on your home's upper story (or stories, if you have a house with a third or fourth story). Here are a few window replacement options that can help.

Windows That Cannot Be Opened

You can request and purchase windows that cannot be opened. These specialty windows look just like any other windows with sashes or picture windows, but your children will never be able to open them and/or hang out of them. In the event of a fire, the glass can be easily shattered with something hard and heavy. Be sure your city's building code inspector approves of the installation of these windows before you buy them from a window and door installer. (Otherwise, you may be able to apply for a residential construction waiver with the city based on any special protection needs your children have.)

Specialty Windows with Full, Locking Screens

Many modern windows frequently do not come with screens or full screens. Many still come with half screens that you can slide up and down between the top and bottom sashes, and this is a definite problem for families and houses with kids because the kids open the windows, push the screens up and then hang out or crawl out. Instead, buy your new windows with full screens that lock securely into position and require a lot of manual dexterity to remove. Because toddlers and young children do not have the manual dexterity yet to open the locking devices on the screens of these specialty windows, they cannot remove the screens and place themselves in harm's way.  

Specialty Windows with Built-in Bars 

Another specialty window you can purchase and have installed on your second story windows (and above) are windows that have protection bars built in across the lower sash of each window. These bars allow you to open the window, and even open or slide the screens up and down if you want to, but the bars are not wide enough to allow a child to squeeze through. A particularly precocious child may throw several objects out the window from between the bars, but there is no way he or she will ever crawl out or hang out of an upper-story window ever again when you install these windows.