As a homeowner, it is imperative that you consider the overall accessibility and safety of the structure. One of the easiest places to start are the windows. When inspecting these products, you must consider whether or not those windows provide accessibility to the home and the rooms inside, should an emergency occur.
You should also take into account any injury that may be sustained and any potential limitations to mobility. If you find that you lack the confidence that your windows are accessible and safe, it is time for modifications.
In this guide, you will learn how to improve the overall accessibility and safety of the home by making changes to your windows.
The Initial Inspection
It is a known fact that there are some issues that could result from windows and their level of accessibility meaning the difference between life and death. On the most part, these structures are designed for the purpose and intent of allowing solar light and energy and air to move from the exterior to the interior of the home and vice versa.
However, a fire, natural disaster, a severe weather event, or even the collapse of a tree that results in roof or floor collapse could quickly transition a window from an often-overlooked feature of the home to a life-saving mechanism.
Before initiating modifications to your windows, you must determine what needs to be done. Simply start with an inspection. Go through each room of your home. Check each window for its ease of opening. Evaluate the length and width of the window.
If a person had to escape, could they fit? If you or someone else was dependent on a wheelchair or scooter, could you reach and easily open the windows? Once you have evaluated the windows, it is time to move on to implementing the necessary changes.
Safety Issues and Risks
Most of the time, we only pay attention to the windows in our home when we open or close them or clean them. We must consider the fact that one day, our mobility may be limited or an emergency may arise that result in those windows being our only way outside of the home.
Common safety issues include locks that are hard to reach and hard to operate, windows that stick, window sills that are too high, and windows that are too small for a person to crawl from and exit the home, if necessary.
Schedule Replacement Window Integration Immediately
If you discover that your windows are not accessible and not safe, it is imperative that you schedule the integration of replacement windows into your home immediately. We here at 316 Direct Wholesale specialize in a wide array of products that are perfectly suited for your home.
In addition to accessible and safe windows – such as casement windows – we also specialize in accessible and safe doors. If you would like to learn more about our products or would like to start your home improvement project, you may contact us now at: 316-201-9436