Children get into everything. Their natural curiosity and sense of wonder make them fearless. While you want them to go out into the world and have adventures, you also want them to be safe.
On average, 5,000 children are injured falling from windows in the US every year. The potential for injury, or worse, is exacerbated by windows and doors they can freely access. How do you protect your children while encouraging their thirst for the world around them?
Child Safety For Windows
There are lots of ways you can childproof your windows. Window restrictors are a great place to start. These prevent windows from being opened past a certain point, usually about 4 inches. It’s unlikely your child will be able to crawl through such a space.
Window guards are vertical bars installed against the interior of the window. Their purpose is to prevent your child from going out the window while leaving its normal function unimpaired. If you don’t like the look of the bars, window guards also come with mesh.
Your choice of windows also matters. If you know that you want to start a family when purchasing your home, you can switch out the old windows for ones that are safer before your children arrive.
Different windows require different methods of securing them because of how they work. Do your research to figure out which may be right for your needs.
For instance, double-hung sash windows have separate locking mechanisms for the bottom and the top. The top can be opened and the bottom left closed. This is safer because children will not be able to reach the top mechanism.
You can also use smart locks to secure your window (and doors). These allow you to program when your windows lock. This way you won’t forget to lock your windows. They also come with sensors and alarms letting you know if someone is tampering with the lock or has breached it.
Child Safety for Doors
If you have sliding doors, you can install a Charley bar. This bar fits horizontally across the interior of your door and prevents your children from sliding it open. Meanwhile, adults can remove it whenever they want to open the door.
A door knob cover is something you might want to consider as well. Door knob covers act like the safety mechanism on medicine bottles, making the door difficult for children to open, but only requiring a little extra effort from adults.
Deadbolts come standard with most door locks. These are an additional layer of safety and will keep the door closed, even if your child somehow manages to reach and turn the door knob or handle.
You can add even more protection by putting in a door security chain. This mechanism is attached to the door and latches on the door jamb. Even if your child somehow gets the door open, the security chain prevents it from being opened more than a few inches.
If you have a lever door handle, get a child-proof lock for it. They come in different varieties but essentially work by preventing your child from pulling the lever down and opening the door.
General Precautions
For both windows and doors, it’s important that as far as possible, you don’t forget to lock them. Talk to your children about staying away from doors and windows as soon as they are old enough to understand the risk.
Don’t keep furniture near your doors or windows. Your children can use these to reach door and window latches. This also goes for objects they can stack up, like books.
We know a lot about locks and which might be best for your child’s safety. Why not talk to us? Visit our website at www.quicklymiamilocksmith.com for more details.
