If you have small children living with you at home and you live in an apartment building or private house in a second floor apartment or higher, you may want to consider installing child safety window bars. Even though it may seem like a cumbersome task it is relatively simple to do yourself. Following are some guides to help in the process.
Before you begin you’ll want to make sure you have the right tools to complete the task. For this project there are only two tools you will need; a drill and screwdriver, along with a marker or pencil. Next you’ll want to go to a local hardware store or home improvement center such as Lowe’s or Home Depot. The window guards are relatively inexpensive which makes it a worthwhile investment towards the safety of your children. One guard per window is what you will need. Sometimes the guards will come with the appropriate screws you will need, sometimes they will not. If not you will need to purchase the right size screws. The employees at the stores can assist you in obtaining the right size screws, but generally two to three inch screws should be good enough. Also, don’t worry about the size of the window guards. They come in a one-size-fits-all format which slides to the appropriate length.
Once you begin, you’ll want to mark the area where you will be drilling the holes for the screws. One quick and easy way to determine this is to slide the window guards against each side of the window. Use your marker or pencil and mark the area through the pre-fabricated holes in the window guards where the screws will be inserted. There are usually six screws per window guard; three holes in either side. You’ll want to make sure you mark all six holes at the same time. Next, take your drill and drill holes where the screws will be inserted. Be careful not to drill too deep, and also you’ll want to make sure you have the right size drill bit. A drill bit too large would render the screws useless.
Once the holes have been created, take the window guard and place it in it’s location in the window. Next, take the screws and insert them through the window guards into the holes in the sides of the window you created earlier with the drill. Take your screw driver and tighten all screws. A power screwdriver is very helpful when it comes to these types of projects in light of the fact that some peoples’ hands may be too big to fix in between the bars of the window guards as you twist your hand while tightening the screws. Repeat the process with the remaining windows in your home or apartment. Finally, before you walk away, give the guards a good tug to make sure they are securely tightened in place. You want to make sure that any small child who may lean up against the window guards will not be able to push the guards out.
Child proofing your home is a good idea and an easy task to accomplish as well. If you follow these steps here you will find this to be true.
