How to Safely Keep Your Windows Open Overnight
Over the last few weeks and months, we’ve had some fabulous warm weather. With all that’s going on in the world at the moment, it’s been really great to enjoy the rays of sunshine during these summer months.
But along with the fantastic warm days, comes the rather unwanted warm nights. Unfortunately, UK homes are not prepared for the warm weather. A study found that only 0.5% of houses and flats in the UK have air conditioning fitted. This means that our warm nights can be usually rather unbearable. We have no choice but to make sure the house is as well ventilated as possible. This means that many of us leave our windows open overnight to keep cool.
But leaving your windows open overnight does have risks attached. It means your house isn’t secure in the event an intruder tries to break in. The police have reported spikes in burglaries that occur during the warmer months due to ‘unforced burglaries’.
Therefore if you aren’t one of the lucky ones that have air conditioning to keep you cool, you may need to think about securing your windows. You definitely want to try and reduce the risk of unexpected visitors during the night.
Lock your Windows on the Latch
If you have a newer style window, these are able to be locked with the window slightly open. This means you should be able to get a bit of cool breeze coming through, whilst your window remains secure. Whilst this does mean you can’t have your window open very wide, it should help get a bit of a draft in. Especially if you have a double aspect room where there is more than one window. Or perhaps if the landing or hall window can be open on the latch as well. Having two windows open on the latch will create more of a breeze for you.
If you do think it’s safer to put the window on the latch; make sure that you lock it into place so the window cannot be opened from the outside
Only Keep Open Inaccessible Windows
If you have windows on the ground floor or are easily accessible in any way, it might be best to avoid opening these windows overnight. These are incredibly easy for intruders to enter through, especially if they are not locked on the latch.
Even if the window is on the first floor, this doesn’t make them totally inaccessible. If you have drainpipes or flat roof extensions on your home, these can still be climbed up to get access to the window.
If you want windows to be kept open overnight, just double check there are no accessible points nearby, that someone could climb on, to gain access. And keep the others firmly on the latch.
Other Points to Note
Just another couple of ideas would be to invest in a good quality quiet fan to remain in your bedroom for those particularly warm nights. As well as changing the tog of your bedding to a lighter weight summer duvet!
Getting New Windows
Some older style windows might not have a secondary locking point where you can lock your window open slightly. If this is the case, you might want to consider getting new windows. This will give you extra peace of mind that your home is protected in the warm summer months.
We have plenty of the latest security features on our wide range of windows. Our windows contain hidden steel reinforcement and are tested to meet the exacting BS7950 standard. This means that you’ll be safe in the knowledge that your new windows are there to help protect you from break-ins.
If you’re interested in getting new windows for your home, get in touch with us at SCI Windows. We’re a friendly, reliable and highly recommended window and door installer based in Morden. We carry out no-obligation quotes and installations across Surrey and South London. At the moment we have safety measures in place to restrict the spread of Covid-19 to our customers and installers. We can still install your windows and doors – whilst maintaining social distancing at all times.