Window Bars for Children
We live in a three family brownstone with 2 rental apartments. I had an insurance agent tell me that if children moved in to any of the apartments, the insurance company as well as the state requires that you put bars on the windows. In the front this would not be a problem, as (I…
We live in a three family brownstone with 2 rental apartments. I had an insurance agent tell me that if children moved in to any of the apartments, the insurance company as well as the state requires that you put bars on the windows. In the front this would not be a problem, as (I think) those expanding bars from the hardware store would do the trick. But we have a fire escape on the back of the building- would I have to put expensive steel gates on these windows were a child to move into an apartment, or does anyone know of a less expensive alternative for bars for fire escape windows that still allow people to get out in case of a fire?
I keep mine in a Skinner Box.
Ooo. I want wine bars for children.
abr- I believe the no-bars on fire escape windows are a case where the somewhat milder danger of falling out onto the escape (rather than the distant ground) is overruled by the danger of your path-of-travel being impeded or blocked by the bars.
save yourself a ton of money and don’t rent to families with children. your neighbors and other tenants will thank you 🙂
*rob*
If you go with bars make sure they have safety releases for your safety in case of a fire and to appease the banks. They like to make it difficult to get mortgages if the bars don’t release.
I read this fast and thought it said “Wine Bars for Children.”
Here is the relevant excerpt:
The window guard law, Health Code Section 131.15, requires owners of multiple dwellings (buildings of 3 or more apartments) to provide and properly install approved window guards on all windows – this includes, first floor bathroom and windows leading onto a balcony or terrace in an apartment where a child (or children) 10 years of age or younger reside and in each hallway window, if any, in such buildings.
The exceptions to this law are:
• windows that open onto fire escapes
• a window on the first floor that is a required secondary exit in a building in which there are fire escapes on the second floor and up.
So, no guards on fire escape windows.
Seems crazy to me that windows that open onto a fire escape would be an exception in the city law-since a child could sill fall off of a fire escape.
Link to a page titled “[Window Guards] understanding the basics”: http://bit.ly/boOn52
Link to general FAQ, containing several more useful links: http://bit.ly/cel5IY
Link to all the various NYC window guard regulations: http://bit.ly/dj3pZc
NYC controls this. All you need to know:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/win/winbas2.shtml
http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/win/wincha.shtml#12-01