Toddlers and thin window panes

[Manny]

I'm sure others must of had their fair share of borderline heart attacks with small children running full speed at old sash windows, arms outstretched. Am I being overly cautions? Does it take more than forceful toddler to smash glass with their hands?

Does anyone have any advice regarding protection of small hands from low sashes?

 

[Penners]

I don't have any advice on prevention, Manny, because I think that depends very much on your particular circumstances. But I'm afraid I can't reassure you about the unbreakability of old glass. It's often quite thin, and of course the problem isn't simply young hands. It's young hands, heads, fast-moving bodies and so on.

 

[AMc]

Toughened glass which shatters into small pieces is mandatory in replacement windows under 80cm from the floor.

If you have the original glass in your sashes then I would look at temporarily installing sheet persex either as secondary glazing or across the bottom sash until they're big enough to not be a danger. It would be a shame to remove old glass and you'd probably need to rebalance the sash weights too. You'll find plenty of help if you search on "secondary glazing" here

Alternatively you could look at stair gates in the recesses or simply obstructing the windows with furniture for a year or two. I guess it depends on how much or a risk you perceive it to be?

 

[Feltwell]

My house has sashes which, in the main ground floor rooms, go to within 10" of the floor. Kids (& dogs for that matter!) love them as they can see out from a very early age.

My 11 month old loves standing at the lounge window, bashing the glass as hard as he can to get the attention of passers by. His big brother and sister both did the same thing, none of them ever managed to break anything. I have now put secondary glazing up - perspex glazing - and I have to say, I am much happier now there is no possibility of him breaking that!

It's not just the very little ones though - the older kids charging about are just as much, if not more of, a risk.

If it bothers you then AMc's note sounds like good advice to me - install secondary glazing or, if you want a quick cheap & easy fix and don't want to obscure the window, get a piece of perspex cut to just go across the bottom 2' or so of the window and screw it or clip it to the frame until the kids are older. Loads of places do cut-to-size perspex by mail order, I've used this firm before.

http://www.theplasticman.co.uk/

 

[AMc]

As you're in Norfolk

http://www.norfolkplastics.co.uk/contact-us-2-w.asp
Mr Plastic in Oak Street are worth a visit

 

[wobs]

An issue that has been on my mind, as we're expecting our first bairn this year. Although it probably won't be doing much running around initally I ssume.

There is a nursery down the road from us that has large sash windows, and I think they have two thick strips of wood going across the bottom of the window so toddlers can't run into the glass. Although I'll check to confirm this.

 

[Penners]

As you're in Norfolk

http://www.norfolkplastics.co.uk/contact-us-2-w.asp
Mr Plastic in Oak Street are worth a visit

Just a PS to the above - if you do decide to put plastic sheet across the lower part of the window, don't use the (cheaper) polystyrene sheet. It can break/shatter quite easily. Spend more and use acrylic sheet.

 

[Lime]

In the old days children were told not to hit glass.
I think that should still be said.

The dangers of old window glass were brought to my attention by a survey conducted by a fostering agency on my house several years ago.
There were several aspects of older houses that "worried" the agency including the stairwell and upturned stones in the garden.

I do know the results of falling through glass.
I did it myself 15 years ago but suffered no damage whatsoever thank goodness.
(I lost my balance on a pair of steps replacing heavy curtains and fell backwards through one of the window panes ending up in the front garden.)

However I have seen the terrible damage it can do.
A girl I once knew was coming back from the pub, fell onto the glazed front door of her home and put her head partially through a side pane of coloured glass.

It is a question of risk.
Homes are full of risks and if children are allowed to do as they wish they may suffer because of it.
Where does minimising risk end?
Even a simple cup hook can take a finger off if it gets caught on it.
A tile or stone floor can kill if fallen upon.
People die falling downstairs.
Most accidents occur in the home.

 

[Feltwell]

An issue that has been on my mind, as we're expecting our first bairn this year. Although it probably won't be doing much running around initally I ssume.

It'll happen sooner than you think though! Not running - but crawling / rolling / bum shuffling and using anything and everything to stand up with. Every kid is different but you'd be wise to assume that items such as stair gates will be needed from about 8 months.

Most accidents occur in the home.

Very true. Old houses are fundamentally different to new ones though and many kids, especially visitors, will not be used to that.

For example, in our hallway there is what looks like the door to an understairs cupboard. Exactly the sort of thing that a nosey schoolfriend of my 5 year old son may try to open. In fact it's the door to the cellar, and on opening it immediately leads onto a steep uneven wooden staircase with a very solid wall to hit at the bottom! So it has a bolt on the outside of the door, high up out of reach of little fingers. Most young kids living in modern houses will have no idea what a cellar is.

 

[MdB]

I'm thinking of sticking a plastic film to the thin glass in our door.

(I've already put my hand through one pane...)

 

[Ixia]

You can buy plastic safety film for sticking over glass. I bought some from B&Q, but it was about 2yrs ago. Mothercare would be another place you could try.

We lived in a 1950s bungalow, with glass partitions to divide rooms, it was a nightmare with a 2.5yr old.

 

[Lime]

We lived in a 1950s bungalow, with glass partitions to divide rooms, it was a nightmare with a 2.5yr old.

I have changed nearly all my internal glass to toughened.
Many panes were broken by either my sons in temper or the wind blowing through the whole house... all doors left open (you know the sort of thing) then a mighty slam noise followed by a tinkling sound.

 

[CatherineB]

You can buy plastic safety film for sticking over glass. I bought some from B&Q, but it was about 2yrs ago. Mothercare would be another place you could try.

We lived in a 1950s bungalow, with glass partitions to divide rooms, it was a nightmare with a 2.5yr old.

You should be able to find plastic safety film fairly easily, I think; I just googled it and found a load. It's up there with those electric socket covers, cupboard door catches, anti-door-closing devices, etc, as fairly standard safety equipment for those with children.

 

[JoceAndChris]

I'm also of the firm opinion that toddlers and period properties don't mix unfortunately. ( especially mine, which features two lethal staircases, a well, 5 open fires and highly polished floors, not to mention antiques and precious wallpapers)

Hope the OP's house is a little easier to make safe - things in front of windows sounds like a great idea.

As for my friends' toddlers - they're banned until they 're teenagers, when they're welcome to come back and smoke pot in the spinney, so long as the wallpaper stays unmarked! 8)

 

[Flyfisher]

You could probably find them a nice secluded spot to grow their own stuff Joce. :lol:

Unfortunately, I must confess to having broken a pane of old glass and I was amazed how little force was necessary. It felt like I hardly touched it before it cracked. A bit like an eggshell really, and I can easily imagine a small child being able to break such windows. Fortunately, we're now beyond the stage of having to worry about children charging around the place. Still, I seem to remember that we didn't get a stair gate until FF junior had fallen down the stairs - but in that particular house the stairs were in short flights of about 7 steps and, fortunately, no harm was done. But it must have been a good experience in learning how to fall as he also survived a fall from his treehouse some years later. At least social services never caught us. :lol:

 

[MatthewC]

As for my friends' toddlers - they're banned until they 're teenagers, when they're welcome to come back and smoke pot in the spinney, so long as the wallpaper stays unmarked! 8)

Nice to know you've got your priorities straight! :lol:

 

[middi]

That is the trouble with modern society.

Instead of " babywalkers" we buy " motorbikes" for our toddlers :wink:

Middi