{"id":20368,"date":"2019-08-12T11:18:24","date_gmt":"2019-08-12T15:18:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/?p=20368"},"modified":"2019-08-12T11:18:24","modified_gmt":"2019-08-12T15:18:24","slug":"window-guards-child-safety-nyc-apartment-rentals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/2019\/08\/12\/window-guards-child-safety-nyc-apartment-rentals\/","title":{"rendered":"Keeping Kids Safe in NYC Rentals with Window Guards"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Illustration

Window guards are a common sight in New York City, but play an invaluable role in keeping children safe.<\/p><\/div>\n

If you\u2019re new to New York City<\/strong>, you may (or may not) notice a rather ubiquitous sight on the windows of private homes in the city: window guards<\/strong>. Window guards in the city take many different appearances: some are simple and slim, some are tall and curved, and some are made of thick, old-fashioned wrought iron, but they are all regulated and necessitated by a common set of standards. But what are the standards? What are window guards for? And if you\u2019ve never noticed or heard the term \u2018window guards\u2019 in your life, get ready to learn all you need to know about window guards as a tenant<\/strong> in New York City!<\/p>\n

Window guards are one of many small but important things to be aware of when renting an apartment<\/strong> in New York, particularly if you\u2019re renting a furnished sublet<\/a>, sharing an apartment with a roommate<\/a>, or buying your own property in NYC<\/a>. Before we explain the rules<\/strong> for window guards, who needs them, and give you tips<\/strong> for safety and installation, it\u2019s important to know what window guards are and how they\u2019re used.<\/p>\n

Window guards: Keeping NYC\u2019s children safe<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Image

Window guards protect the living room windows of this 1-bedroom apartment in the Upper West Side. (Rental ID: NY-17709)<\/p><\/div>\n

Window guards<\/strong> are metal or aluminum bars that are fitted over windows to prevent children from falling out when it\u2019s open. It\u2019s highly uncommon for NYC apartments to have insect screens (their absence is one of many common features of New York apartments<\/a>), and in a city known for its iconic skyscrapers, even an insect screen wouldn\u2019t mitigate the real danger of child falling from an open window. Window guards are deliberately designed to bear a child\u2019s weight, and designed to be too narrow for a child to fit through. Only window guards that meet these specifications may legally be used<\/strong> (more on that later).<\/p>\n

The New York City ordinance<\/strong> requiring window guards in residential buildings was enacted in 1976. New York was the first major city in the United States to adopt a window guard ordinance, and since its integration, child fall injuries and deaths have drastically declined. Making sure that tenants, particularly those with small children, know the proper installation, availability, and use of window guards is critical to their success.<\/p>\n

Window guard basics that tenants must know<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Infographic

Any New York City apartment that meets these four basic criteria must be protected by mandatory window guards.<\/p><\/div>\n

Window guard regulations seem pretty simple at face value. The New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene<\/strong> has declared that window guards must be installed under the following conditions:<\/p>\n