The Window Guard Goes In Once: Measure, Mount, and Test the Release From Inside

A window guard is the one piece of hardware on this list that stays up for years. It keeps a window closed to a parent who is trying to climb out at dusk. Because that window may also be needed in an emergency, the guard has a second job: it must open from inside without a key or a tool. Plan both jobs before you buy anything.

Local option: New Plan Care gives families in the St. Louis area in-home help so a parent can stay home: companionship, help with bathing and dressing, meals, and overnight care. Call (314) 405-0887.

Step one: Ask before you buy

Call your local fire department or the building office for your home or apartment. Ask two questions: whether a guard is allowed on each window you have in mind, and what kind of release they expect from inside. Write down the answers and the name of the person you spoke with. Some windows are a required way out of a bedroom, and a guard on those must be built to open from inside.

Step two: Measure the opening and the frame

Measure the width and height of the clear opening where the sash slides or swings. Measure the depth of the frame where the brackets will sit. Take each reading twice, because inside and outside measurements can differ on older frames. Keep each window on its own line in your notes. Give the seller the smallest of your readings, and ask whether they also need the frame depth.

Step three: Mount the brackets, then the panel

Fix the brackets to the frame or wall with the screws in the kit. Check that each one sits square before you tighten it fully. Hang the guard panel, set the release, and close the window with the guard in place. Do not drill into the sash or the glass. If a bracket will not seat, stop and check the depth again instead of forcing it.

Step four: Test the release from inside

Stand inside the room with the door closed, as if you had just woken up. Open the release with no key, no tool, and no help. Swing the guard out to its full width and confirm that an adult can get through. Close it, lock it, and test once more. Then ask a second adult to try the release too, because a release that is easy for you may be hard for someone else to find in a hurry.

Step five: Leave a note on the frame

Tape a card inside the frame that says the release was tested from inside, who tested it, and how it opens. Repeat the test any time the guard is adjusted or a bracket is tightened or loosened. The full list of what to check before dusk is on our Start Here page.