Regular safety checks can help prevent accidents at home. Your windows are, or should be, a part of your safety inspection routine. Here are the important questions you should ask when performing a quick window safety check.
Building codes require egress windows in every bedroom. For these windows to be effective, you and your family should know how to use them in case of an emergency. Your plan should include two avenues of escape from every room and a designated meeting place outside. Everyone in your family needs to know their exits and how to get there. Help your children learn how to use egress windows safely.
There are many reasons why you should keep bedroom windows closed. Energy-efficient replacement windows, for instance, work best when they’re closed as they prevent air from leaking. Another reason is that they can prevent accidents. If you have to open the windows for ventilation, open windows that children can’t reach. Lacking that option, set and enforce rules about playing near windows.
Never paint over your windows or nail them shut, even if they’re not egress windows, as they could be used as such. Some homeowners paint over their windows because the light makes the room too hot or because it fades fabrics or wallpaper. Replace them with windows that feature glass with low-emissivity (Low-E) coatings like our High Performance™ Low-E4® glass. It helps block ultraviolet (UV) radiation and heat from the sun, which means you won’t have to paint over them.
Your egress windows should not be blocked by anything, including window-mounted air conditioners. Fortunately, experienced licensed air conditioning technicians would know better than to do that; they would recommend alternatives like mini-split type air conditioners or extending the existing ductwork. If a window-mounted AC happens to be blocking an egress window, consider the above air conditioning options or reinstalling the air conditioner to another, non-egress window.
Call Renewal by Andersen® Midwest at (866) 609-5033, or fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment to learn more about our window choices.
