 to help lessen the impact should someone accidentally fall out of a window.
Minerd also recommends that adults consult their window installers to make certain that their homes have windows with clear openings that meet egress requirements in the living spaces as required by state and local building codes. “Egress windows provide emergency exits in your home during a fire,” says Minerd. “Make sure your home has the proper amount of egress windows in every room used as a bedroom and on any floor or basement level with habitable living space.”
Families with small children should pay special attention to windows and patio doors. Start with practicing home emergency fire drills. Show them the fastest safety route to the outside and make certain children know under what circumstances to use a window to exit a home. Since small children tend to “hide” from fire, make sure they understand how important it is to safely and quickly exit the home should a fire occur.
“If a door is hot to the touch or not safe to exit through during a fire, then both children and adults should exit through an open window,” says Minerd. “Unless it is absolutely necessary, do not to break the window glass. Doing so could cause injury. During family safety drills, show children how to operate windows and how to use chain escape ladders that should be kept in all bedrooms located above ground level. Also establish a designated meeting place for the family outside the home.”
About Simonton Windows
Simonton Windows has been ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Windows and Doors, Four Years in a Row. Tied in 2013.” by J.D. Power and Associates. Simonton produces ENERGY STAR® qualified vinyl replacement and new construction windows and doors, including a line of impact-resistant products.
Simonton was also ranked #1 in quality in the 2013, 2009, 2007, 2002 and 1998 Brand Use Studies sponsored by Builder magazine and has won three Best In Class Awards administered by LBM Journal Research Institute.
Founded in 1946, Simonton’s hallmark has been to deliver the industry’s shortest, most dependable lead-times. Part of Fortune Brands Home & Security, Inc. (NYSE: FBHS), Simonton delivers award-recognized products throughout the United States and North America. Simonton is a Founding Sponsor of The Weather Museum, a Lifetime Founding Sponsor of the Lead Safe America Foundation, and a supporter of Homes for Our Troops. For information, call (800) SIMONTON (1-800-746-6686) or visit http://www.simonton.com.
Simonton Windows received the highest numerical score among window and door manufacturers in a tie in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates 2010-2013 Windows and Patio Doors Satisfaction StudiesSM. (Tied in 2013). 2013 study based on responses from more than 2,554 consumers measuring 11 brands and measures opinions of consumers who purchased new windows or patio doors in the previous 12 months. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of consumers surveyed in January – February 2013. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com.
ENERGY STAR is a government program that helps consumers protect the environment through superior energy efficiency and is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.