Window Safety and Preventing Falls

Q. I am looking for a way to secure my third-floor windows to prevent an accidental fall. Bars on the windows like the best option, but are much more expensive than window locks or holds. Am I covering all the bases if I go with the cheaper option? Basically, I do not want cheap safety of my children, but I do not want to spend unnecessary money either. Tricia, Calgary, Alberta

A. Prevention of Falls from Windows is important to consider, since States Product Safety Commission that the consumer, the United States, "approximately 12 children 10 and under die each year and more than 4,000 are treated in emergency rooms of hospitals for window fall-related injuries. CPSC knows of 120 window-fall related deaths to children since 1990. In addition to a guard window, you can use a window stop to prevent a window from opening more than 4 inches.

The main drawback to using a single window or a corner, then you must leave the windows closed, especially when kids are around. A guard of window or door has the added advantage that you can open the windows and still not worry about your child falls through them.

Or consider a combination of both methods Childproofing, install bars on windows on some windows you often open for ventilation, and locks or wedges on the windows that you, most often kept closed.

To keep your children safe, in addition to close monitoring, you must also:

* Leave your children not to play around windows, even if they are closed because they can be injured if they fall through the glass of a window closed
* Rely not on the screens to keep your children from falling
* Consider installing landscaping in Windows that could cushion a fall
* Installation of Windows that can open from the top instead of bottom, if possible
* Keep furniture away from windows, so that your children are not tempted to climb on them

Also keep in mind that if you install a window guard, since you are below the 6th floor, you must install one that can be easily opened by adults and children in case of fire. Otherwise, if you were on the 7th floor or above, you can install a window guard permanently.