Yes, I Know The Upstairs Windows Are Like That In Case Of Fire But...

That must be a city ordinance were you live. In our house the upstairs windows are the same as the down stairs window. The pull up from the top. The ones in my bedroom are not that big though I think I could crawl out of them if I had to, but think anyone over a certain weight would get stuck. Let's just hope neither of us ever have to worry about getting out in case of fire.

That sounds stupid. Do they open inwards so that someone who is in a parachute can go through the window or are they that way so if there were a thief in the house he woud get knocked over by the shutters when he tries to escape? I think they were looking very hard for it being security. I would expect that all the window either opened outwrd or inward, and it would be cheaper in fixing up the house.

My windows open top and bottom, but with the screens there, I'd be hard-pressed to exit through them. Anyway, it's getting to the closed windows stage of the year, so I only have the one by my bed open now.

I know what you mean here Janey. There were inward opening windows fitted in our last house. One was the whole height of the window with like a bar to make it match other windows - it was fitted so that we could escape in case of fire. When it opened ajar in its security position, it was OK, but to open it right up, it was so heavy that I could hear the hinges creaking and it was difficult to close again as the locks wouldn't line up correctly. I don't know if it still there, but I reckoned that opened too much like that it would eventually break under the strain. The one good thing about it, was it was easier to clean the outside, being above a small extension, that was too sloping to stand on.. But there again, there are long poles to clean upstairs external windows nowadays. I am pleased that we decided to buy a bungalow this time around. It needs a lot of work doing at it, but we are getting stuck into it, and I have no need to worry about climbing ladders to a first floor any more. _Derek

I had wondered if there was such a thing as top opening windows. You see the original home owner was assaulted in the 1980's and the criminal who did it, his family still lives a block away. Yes I realize this was some time ago but I keep thinking how there are times in summer I wish I could open my windows but the previous owner due to the assault had nailed the windows shut. But I'd also like windows that would open from the top so we could keep them open at night or when we are not home.

hi janey thats odd I had not thou ght of that but in all the apts we lived in the crank kind do open inwards.but I had thought that might be because the darned apts built so close to each other.' I wonder why they do not open inward? I really have no idea why they should be made like that.

Well that is very odd I cannot understand why the windows would be like that. My windows go up or down. I've never seen windows that open in and out except for at the school I went too. I really dont understand what the security reasons of these windows opening that could be. Seems more like they put the windows in wrong and want to pretend theres a reason they are that way haha ;-p

"Security reasons" being so no one can break in easily? Don't see how that is effective if the window opens inwards in the first place. However, either way the window opens, it's easily broken into if someone is determined to get in.

Your discussion puts me in mind of the fact that Over here,many families that live upstairs rail all their winders and doors with rolled steel for guarding against theft.Their houses look like cages.I dread to think of how they will escape once they have a fire.It is not just the problem you have said about taking a while for the fireman to give one a fireman's lift.