I have 2 window related questions:
1. Does anyone have experience with child window locks? My boys have 2nd story bedrooms and my oldest opened his window last night. I have seen different styles of child safety window locks, but wondered if anyone has used and likes any particular style. I would rather not put screws into the window, but will if it means keeping them safe!
2. Has anyone put tinting on any of your home's windows? The 2 windows in the playroom get almost all day sun and I wondered if tinting would help keep some of the heat out. We have blinds, but the boys like to look out and I don't want it to be dark since they play in there.
Thanks!
RE: tinting...We tinted the windows in the back of the house. It helped slightly but I still feel like I need sunglasses in my Family room and morning room in the afternoon. We then planted trees which actually blocks the sun which is much more useful but the trees do not block all the light coming in from all of the windows.
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I know that you can get solar screens for the windows. They're actually pretty popular here in TX for south facing windows. But they go on the outside of the house and asthetically speaking are quite a bit darker than standard window screens and cover the entire window top to bottom.
There's also a product made by 3M, not sure but I think you have to go through a dealer, I know my parents had it done (in IL) on their sliding deck doors that face west and are in their kitchen. It helped a LOT with heating and sun control. They have wood floors so they also looked at it as an investment in protecting their flooring.
As far as the safety locks there are some that screw onto the frame but don't actually screw into the frame, if you have metal/vinyl windows. I'm pretty sure you can just get them at Home Depot, Lowe's or Menard's. Our neighborhood pool put them in the bathroom windows before they had bars installed on the outside to discourage the trespassers.
The only things that really work on windows are the bars that you screw in. You should be able to get them at any hardware store or Home Depot, Lowe's etc. A proper child-proof window guard has bars spaced no more than 4 inches apart and a quick release mechanism so that you can get out in case of a fire. You can always patch the screw holes later when the kids get older, you can't always patch up child after a fall. Good for you for thinking about this - there are several falls in my area each summer and it seems that at least one of them per year is fatal. Totally senseless and preventable tragedy!
Whatever you put on your windows, make sure your children can get out easily in case of a fire. Well, they wouldn't be able to get out b/c they're locked in, my dad is a retired firefighter, so getting out in a fire to me is a priority. Good luck!
We have the 3M tint on our windows - and it made a big difference!
If I remember right we did the medium tint on the lower windows and the darker tint on the top windows (We have a 2 story great room)
Definitely helps with heat and UV protection for carpet/furniture.
We had it professionally installed, I think it would be very difficult to do yourself!
Another nice benefit is that you can't see in the windows during the day from the outside, but it makes it easier to see in at night.
