Properly functioning windows and doors not only provide light and air into your home but also enhance the safety of your home. If poorly maintained and/or left unsecured, they could be safety hazards to small children, people with impaired critical thinking skills, such as those with Alzheimer’s disease, and can invite intruders into your home. Improve the safety of your home with these tips:
- Ensure that your windows open and close the way they should. Regularly lubricate window hinges and sashes with a greasy lubricant and make sure that none of your doors or windows is painted shut.
- Lock your doors and windows when they are closed to increase the level of safety in your home. If your windows are not equipped with locks, purchase new locks at a home improvement store. Install the locks high up on your doors if you have individuals living in your home who could unlock the door and go wandering off alone.
- Install window guards to limit how widely you can open your window. Small children can easily fall out of open windows if they are left unsupervised, and windows left wide open allow easy access for intruders. Adjust the guards so that each window opens to no more than 4 inches.
- Protect your children from wandering outside unsupervised with door guards. Guards placed at the top of the door prevent kids from opening it more than just a crack; doorknob covers can also help to prevent them from opening the door.
- Arrange large furniture away from windows. Children can fall out of a window by climbing on top of a couch or armchair that is placed right under an open window.
- Use cordless window coverings. Cords such as those used on Venetian blinds can be a choking hazard.
- Apply colorful decals to sliding doors and windows that people could mistake as open air. Running into a glass window or door can produce numerous types of injuries.
