The 5 Best Tips for Making Your Windows Childproof

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Best Tips for Making Your Windows Childproof

When designing a room, it’s crucial to take child safety into consideration. Windows can pose a dangerous threat to young children, who can climb out of a window and fall or get window cords wrapped around their neck. In 2012, the window safety regulations were tightened by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), but this still doesn’t prevent accidents from happening. To prevent windows from forming a hazard, we’ve listed some of the best tips to make your windows safe for children.Keep window cords out of reach.

5Keep window cords out of reach.

Children love to play with those dangling, loose-hanging cords, but they can easily get wrapped around a young child’s neck. To prevent this problem completely, use cordless window coverings. Pleated blinds are often available in a ‘honeycomb’ style, which means that instead of hanging loose, the cord runs through the centre of the honeycomb.

If your window blinds do have cords, make sure they end at least 1.6m above the ground. Please note that your child might still be able to reach them by climbing onto furniture. It’s therefore advisable to install cord tidies, clips, ties or cleats to keep cords out of reach. This is especially advisable for blinds that are operated by sidewinders such as Duo Vision blinds.

4Prevent your cords from making a loop.

Loops can present a dangerous strangulation hazard, which is why you should never tie or knot your cords together. 40% of window cord accidents involved a continuous loop system, which you often see in draperies and vertical blinds. You can cut the cords and install tassels on each end or use a tie-down device to fasten the cord to the floor, but it’s safest to install wall-mounted cord cleats to secure looped chains or cords to the wall.

3Use window guards to prevent your child from falling out of the window.

Window guards are a series of bars that prevent your child from leaning outside and falling. They can be screwed into the sides of the window frame and the bars should be about 4 inches (10cm) apart, so your child won’t be able to fit through. Just make sure that they are securely installed to prevent any accidents.

2Use window restrictors to limit the distance a window can open or have window locks in place.

Window restrictors are perfect for windows that can open wide. They can prevent your child from climbing out, just be careful they can’t fiddle with the restrictor and remove it. Make sure you lock it securely with a key your kids can’t reach.

1Don’t put furniture underneath the window.

Never place a bed, chair, box or table right underneath a window. Children love to climb onto furniture and may fall out of an open window like this. Moreover, they might be able to reach those hazardous window cords this way, so make sure you place your furniture far from the window.