Every year, the first full week of April is recognized as National Window Safety Week
These efforts to raise awareness of window safety started in 1997 when the National Safety Council began a program to educate the public on window safety. This year National Window Safety Week will be observed April 6-11, 2020.
Vetrina Windows is pleased to recognize National Window Safety Week and provide you with these important window safety tips to follow in your home.
Windows Safety is Important for Overall Home Safety
Many people take window safety for granted. We use them every day but rarely do we check our windows for issues, or even know what to look for. In addition to our doors, windows may function as a primary exit or entry to our home. This can be good for air and light, but bad in other instances, such as air pollution and unauthorized entry.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, statistics on falls from windows result in an average of about eight deaths annually to children five years or younger. Additionally, an estimated 3,300 children ages five and younger, are treated each year in U.S. hospital emergency departments for related injuries.
Following these window safety tips can help you and your family safely enjoy your windows and be protected in your home from accidents, injury, and other tragic incidents.
Ten Windows Safety Tips for Your Home
1. Make Sure Windows Are Locked
Keeping your windows locked when not in use can go a long way for home safety. This is especially important with children present, as an open window can be inviting to younger children’s curiosity, leading to potential accidents or worse.
Locking windows also is a proven deterrent for criminal activity as someone with nefarious intentions sees an open or unlocked window as an invitation to enter your home. If you’re not home, lock your windows every time.
2. Only Open Windows That are Out of Reach of Children
Again, children can get into all sorts of things around the home. If they can reach an open window, it isn’t safe for them to be around. If possible, only open your windows from the top and not the bottom.
If you can’t open the windows from the top and children are around, do not open them, or make the area around the window unavailable to younger children. A great recent innovation in window design however may be able to offer a solution for some – these are called Tilt & Turn windows, and have two distinct functions: swing it in like a traditional in-swing window, or tilt the top of the sash into your room for ventilation. One handle controls both operations. The tilt turn is ideal for providing fresh air for the space, while limiting the access from the inside and outside, thus making it inherently safer for households with small children.
3. Screens Will Not Prevent Falls
A screen is a protectant to cover the window open. It protects mainly against debris, insects and small animals/birds from finding entry into your home. It is not strong enough to securely handle the weight of a human or child against exiting. It will allow air through an open window, but will not hold up to the weight of a person. Do not use your screen as a guard to prevent accidents happening or as a preventive security device.
4. Consider Installing Window Guards/Window Stops
A window guard/stop is a device that can prevent younger, smaller children from exiting or falling out of unsafe and open windows in your home. They are extremely important if you have kids around, and are most important if you are in a high rise or in levels above the first floor. Installing window guards/stops can greatly increase the safety of your windows and your home and further protect your family from accidents.
If you’re on the market for window packages that require extra safety precautions, such as for multifamily or institutional projects, Vetrina Windows can engineer and manufacture comprehensive solutions with built-in stops that regulate how wide a window can open, and other safety features to your specifications.
5. Make Sure Furniture or Climbable Items are Not Near Your Windows
Even with safety measures implemented into the windows themselves, you need to be cautious of items in the areas around your windows. Anything that children could possibly have access to like boxes, toys, chairs, furniture, etc. should be at a distance well enough away from the windows, or secured so that they can not be moved. If it’s big enough to climb, keep it away from the windows.
6. Replace Cracked or Damaged Glass
Cracked glass is more than just a frustrating eyesore, it’s dangerous. Glass that is broken should be replaced immediately before further breakage occurs. If the glass is not replaced in a timely manner, it could cause further serious injury from additional breakage, falling glass or deadly sharp edges. If the glass is damaged in any way, repair it before the situation gets worse.
Vetrina’s window products can be fitted with dual- and triple-pane glass packages that not only significantly lower energy consumption, but also add extra layers of security.
7. Repair Damaged Frames/Framing
Besides the glass, the frame of the window also needs attention and maintenance. If the frame is cracked or damaged, actions should be taken to fix it right away. Frame issues with your windows could pose security issues, safety issues, and can cause serious injury both inside and outside of your home. The immediate course of action you take to fix damaged frames will prevent higher costs of injury or home damage in the long run.
8. Draw Blinds or Shades at Nighttime
Draw your window shades or blinds to protect the view of your home from potential intruders. Even if the window is locked and secure, if you can see through it, you can see into your home, potentially opening up your home’s inventory to a burglar.
Vetrina Windows is proud to be working with some of the best window treatment vendors in the country, offering packages with smart shades that lower themselves depending on the lighting conditions, time of day, user input, and other factors.
They may also find additional opening points, see where you store your keys, track your children’s movement, or identify your home as their next score based on what they see inside. While window treatments may add style and light protection to your home, you want to keep unwanted eyes off of your family’s belongings. Close your blinds and shades every time you leave the home or go to sleep for the evening.
9. Make Sure Locks and Other Hardware are in Working Order
A window has many parts to it in addition to the glass and the frame. We mentioned above that locking your window and keeping it closed in certain situations can help keep your family safe, but if the locks or other hardware aren’t in prime working condition, they will fail to provide the safety you need for your home and family. This may be less relevant to our customers, who always enjoy precision-engineered hardware that is not only beautiful and easy to operate, but is also extra long-lasting and virtually indestructible.
Be sure locks, knobs, lifts and any important structural and operational hardware elements of your windows function properly, or else consider replacing them right away. A failed window lock presents health and safety concerns, as well as issues with home security. If the window doesn’t shut tight, consider having a professional window contractor look at and diagnose your windows to repair them as quickly as possible.
On this note, Vetrina Windows is proud to offer anti-burglar multi-locking mechanisms on most of our window systems, as well as the advanced Evo Security burglary and impact resistant package designed for security-critical applications.
10. If Your Windows are Old, Consider Replacing Them
Old windows should be replaced for many reasons. In this case, older windows can present serious health and safety issues. Technology has advanced greatly over the years making newer windows not only easier to maintain, but stronger, longer-lasting, and more secure. Serious safety issues can be present with older windows, many we’ve mentioned in this article, including failing hardware, damaged frames/structure, and broken glass.
If your windows are older than 15 years, it may be time to look at replacing them with newer, better built windows that will eliminate many of the issues we’ve outlined. When considering window upgrades, pay attention to the materials – for example Vetrina’s windows are constructed from the highest grade 6063 T-5 thermal extrusion aluminum alloy that extends the windows’ efficacy to pretty much the lifetime of the structure they’re in. The long term cost of having peace of mind and knowing your home and your family has the best protection possible is priceless.
Practice Window Safety All Year Round.
While National Window Safety Week is recognized for one week in April, you need to practice window safety all year-round. The security of your and your family’s lives depend on it. Stay safe!
