Advice with Secured Windows and Fire Risk

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networkn

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#151210 17-Aug-2014 22:05

Hi There!

My son came from from school full of fear about fires as they have been covering fires and how to deal with them at school.

Our kids rooms have locks so that the windows can't fully open and they can't climb out onto the roof. I think it's a code of compliance issue if windows are accessible from a certain height from the floor.

It did raise a scary scenario that if a fire takes the hallway, my kids can't get out through a window. I am tempted to undo one of the windows security locks to ensure safe escape, and I have no concerns my 5 year old would ever climb out of it if he could, but my 2 year old is a climber and I do worry about it.

Advice?

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#1110171 17-Aug-2014 22:12

Leave a brick on the window sill. So the kids can easily smash the window if there is a fire. And there will be no extra security risk.

Hopefully when the council made those rules. They hopefully considered the risks of dying in a house fire Vs the risks of injuries from falling. But I doubt that they are smart enough to do so.

networkn

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#1110177 17-Aug-2014 22:16

Aredwood: Leave a brick on the window sill. So the kids can easily smash the window if there is a fire. And there will be no extra security risk.

Hopefully when the council made those rules. They hopefully considered the risks of dying in a house fire Vs the risks of injuries from falling. But I doubt that they are smart enough to do so.

My 5 year old would not be strong enough to heft said brick with enough force to break that glass which is double glazed. I might see what other tools would do the job though.

MikeB4

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#1110181 17-Aug-2014 22:21

We have locks on our windows, I must admit I had not really thought about that.

Here is a crazy notion, lets give peace a chance.

insane

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#1110188 17-Aug-2014 22:33

networkn:

Our kids rooms have locks so that the windows can't fully open and they can't climb out onto the roof. ...

It did raise a scary scenario that if a fire takes the hallway, my kids can't get out through a window. ....

Advice?

Can you just replace the security locks with the type that can be unlatched from the inside when the windows are closed? Obviously it doesn't stop your kids unlatching them whenever they please, but does still provide an escape route and offer some level of security from the outside.

networkn

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#1110192 17-Aug-2014 22:57

I think a glass hammer the type you find in cars in the US, might be an option. Very little force is required, I think he could manage it.

I'm going to consult the fire dept tomorrow about it.

As far as I am concerned if it's a choice between security and safety, safety will win in this case.

We do have a lot of smoke detectors, honestly it's probably not a huge risk, I can't imagine anything stopping me getting to him and I know I could get those windows open if I had to.

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#1110202 17-Aug-2014 23:10

networkn: I think a glass hammer the type you find in cars in the US, might be an option. Very little force is required, I think he could manage it.

Do those work on all types of glass? Motor vehicle glass tends to shatter into nice little cube. I guess getting your arm cut while smashing the window is better than the alternative.

Maybe a baseball bat would be a more appropriate tool?

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networkn

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#1110204 17-Aug-2014 23:18

insane:
networkn: I think a glass hammer the type you find in cars in the US, might be an option. Very little force is required, I think he could manage it.

Do those work on all types of glass? Motor vehicle glass tends to shatter into nice little cube. I guess getting your arm cut while smashing the window is better than the alternative.

Maybe a baseball bat would be a more appropriate tool?

The glazed windows in our house, would take a fair bit of force even from a baseball bat. I'd be surprised if my 5 year old could swing it with the force and control to do the job.

coffeebaron

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#1110209 17-Aug-2014 23:49

An unlocking solenoid mechanism triggered by the fire alarm to disengage the window latch.

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#1110210 17-Aug-2014 23:51

http://www.lifeaxe.com/

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#1110214 18-Aug-2014 00:06

insane:
networkn: I think a glass hammer the type you find in cars in the US, might be an option. Very little force is required, I think he could manage it.

Do those work on all types of glass? Motor vehicle glass tends to shatter into nice little cube. I guess getting your arm cut while smashing the window is better than the alternative.

Maybe a baseball bat would be a more appropriate tool?

Which means you will need to check the glass type and replace if required. From memory there is a specific kind of hammer for this purpose. Probably not the best overall solution for the problem.

How about a trapdoor leading to a hole in the wall with an enclosed tube slide that goes down to a sandpit ; ).

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#1110215 18-Aug-2014 00:57

I had the same issue in my house growing up.
The windows all had locks on them so they can only open a few inches.
Ended up taking the locks off. In my current house if there was a fire there would be a giant loaf of a computer thrown out a window if i had to.

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#1110230 18-Aug-2014 07:16

The problem I see with smashing windows, is the sharp nastiness left behind. House windows just don't break like car safety glass. I think if a child broke a window, they'd still be trapped AND their room would have an air source to feed a fire.

My first step would be to contact the fire brigade and get their opinion.

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#1110242 18-Aug-2014 08:24

I'd probably try to find a mechanism your older boy could open that your climber couldn't. He sounds like a smart one.

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#1110282 18-Aug-2014 10:16

andrewNZ:

My first step would be to contact the fire brigade and get their opinion.

I reckon that's a good idea. You'd probably find that they are more than willing to help.

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#1110283 18-Aug-2014 10:18

When we re did the windows on our house we got tilt and turn windows in the bedrooms for this reason. The tilt function allows the windows to open a little, while remaining secure. The turn function allows the windows to fully open to facilitate an escape. Our house only has one level though, so I didn't have the upstairs dilemma.

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