Safety about windows

safetywindows

  1. The house which I rent and am living
    in has a kitchen on the first floor,
    where there is a window facing the
    yard with its lower half covered by
    security bar and screen, like this one .

    Is it safe
    to keep the lower half window open
    at night during sleep?

    The top looks like not easy to be
    pulled down. Is the top half window
    usually fixed to the top of the window?

    I am hesitating to close and lock
    the window, because if the window is
    closed during the night, I feel the
    air in the first floor especially near the
    kitchen will become a little worse
    gradually. I guess maybe it is
    because the gas normally leaks a
    little from the range, and the
    pilot fire is kept on?

    So shall I close the window for
    safety or keep it open for air? Note that except during the coldest day, we don't turn on the central air system.

  2. For window of bedrooms on
    the second floor, do people usually close them
    at night during sleep for safety?

  3. I was wondering if the security bar
    usually only cover the lower-half of
    a window,
    and if it is enough or covering the
    whole window will be a better
    choice?

For reference, I am living in a city in the United States, where safety is usually a concern.

Best Answer

First, get your possible gas leak checked out right away. Call the gas utility company that services your house and ask them to come and check for a leak. Most gas companies will do this for free and quickly, because it is not good for business when their product kills people. If you suspect any gas leak at all, you should get it checked.

Second, whether your security bars are actually secure depends on how they are installed. Are they fastened securely? If you have a sash window like the one in the picture, usually both sashes can be moved up and down, but it's possible that in your installation the upper sash was not designed to move or has been fastened in place.

Regarding closing windows on upper floors for safety: usually only ground-floor windows need to be secured, as thieves tend to look for the easiest opportunity, and the challenge of climbing into an upper story window probably isn't worth it. Take a walk around your house, think about the top few ways you might get in if you lost your keys, and secure those things first. And let yourself enjoy a little fresh air at night. :)

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