I’m a step-father to a four-year-old boy and he’s at the age where he puts his hands on everything. He’s learning, I get that, but I want to ensure that while he’s trying out the new in his life, he’s safe. One area that I focus great importance on are the windows in my home.

Glass replacement is my business, so I handle windows a lot in my line of work. I may only replace the glass in the windows at work, but I’m a window expert in general. Many people know about baby proofing their homes including the windows. However, once the child reaches a certain age, many abandon most or all their safety gadgets.

One you should keep around a little longer are the window wedges, stops, and guards. If you no longer have your window safety materials, identify the type of windows in your house before you go to the store. Different types of windows call for different types of proofing mechanisms.

Hung windows will open vertically, moving up and down. Window stops, and guards work best for this type. Sliding windows move side to side horizontally and need stops or a guard for securing. Casement windows have handles you crank in a circular motion to open them. For making these windows safe, either remove the crank or install a guard.

If you can lock any of your windows, you can save yourself the hassle of buying and installing any stops or guards. However, you’ll have to keep in mind that your child is no longer a baby. Their brain has developed and they’re bigger, stronger, and taller. Your child may be able to undo those locks and open the windows. Locking your windows combined with one of the following window safety applications will provide the most insurance.

Wedges are stops that stick to your window’s track frame and prevent the window from sliding past the point of where the wedge rests. You can place the wedge anywhere along the window’s frame track. By placing it further down, you can still crack open your windows. Just make sure the window doesn’t open too much to where your child can fit through and fall out.

A Charley bar is also a product you can use as a window stop. Placing the bar along the top of your window will prevent your child from reaching it. If they can reach the bar, they could possibly pull it out and open the window. However, they don’t allow for you to open the window and keep your child safe.

A window guard is the ultimate window security guaranteed product, which allows you to still open your window fully. The guard has bars close enough together to prevent your child from falling through. Since there are bars that your child can’t fit through, you can feel at ease to keep your windows open.

Most windows do have screens on them, however the screens are thin and not durable. As your child gets older, they become stronger and smarter. If they’re determined or not safe enough, they’ll find a way through that delicate sheet.

Being in the window industry puts pressure on me to not be one of those parents whose kid falls out of a window of their home. But, lets be real here, no one wants to be the parent whose kid fell out of their own bedroom window. The guilt is not worth the risk. Do yourself and your children a service and put the necessary protection on your windows.