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Original poster

would you put a toddler in a loft room with a fire escape velux?

20 replies

fisil · 07/05/2006 19:50

I am thinking of putting ds2 up in the loft soon. It was always planned to be his room once he was settled at night, and I reckon now is a good time. ds1 is already up there, so it'll be great - a floor for children, a floor for grown ups and a floor for the whole family!

He would be in the eaves room which has a low down velux - it had to be low down for fire regs. Ds1 has been up in the other loft room since before he was 2 and we have never worried about it, but ds2 is a slightly different child!

But ... is it possible to get a lock for a velux window, and even if it is, which is safer - a window that is locked so that toddler fingers can't open it and climb out, or a window that is open so that we can get them out in the case of fire?

OP posts:

zippitippitoes · 07/05/2006 19:54

definitely shouldn't be locked for adult or child

Original poster

fisil · 07/05/2006 19:56

so will he be safe?

OP posts:

spinach · 07/05/2006 19:59

i wouldnt if theres any chance hes gonna try and get out

sugarfree · 07/05/2006 20:05

When we had a loft conversion last year,the builder had a hissy fit when I suggested a lock on the fire escape velux.Would it be possible to swao round so that the kids are on the middle floor and you are in the loft?
(I know it's a hassle and a half,ours was finished last Autumn and so far only DH and I,and DS2 are in the right bedrooms)

Original poster

fisil · 07/05/2006 20:09

the plan has always been for them to have the top floor because () there are three bedrooms on the middle floor, which will be a study each for dp and me and our bedroom.

OP posts:

zippitippitoes · 07/05/2006 20:11

having tiny children in the acknowledged least safe part of the house seems ...a bit unsafe

beansontoast · 07/05/2006 20:18

get a window that locks in a slighty open way for ventilation ...that can be easily opened by a dextrous adult in the event of a fire...ie has a little button on th ehandle that you press at th esame time as moving th ehandle.

my ds climbed up into the bedroom window in our attic room on sat night (me and dp out).our neighbour spotted him and alerted my mum who was babysitting...and who was completely unaware that he had even got out of bed...let alone left his room and gone up a flight of stairs..upturned the bin...climbed onto tyhe radiator and STOOOOD IN TH EWINDOW FRAME....OMG ...im not quite over this!

Katymac · 07/05/2006 20:19

I'd put the offcies in the attic and the bedrrom on the first floor

annh · 07/05/2006 20:22

Why do they have to be in the loft when they are so little? Surely they could be on the first floor for now with the offices in the loft and could change around later when they are older and will appreciate having their "own" space. Can't see that toddlers need to be that far away from their parents.

tracyk · 07/05/2006 20:25

My friend did her loft and her 2 ds are up there - but they didn't go up till they were 5.
We are also thing of converting the loft (in a bungalow) - but seems pointless as we couldn't move our bedroom up there and be so far away from out 2 yo.

tracyk · 07/05/2006 20:25

Original poster

fisil · 07/05/2006 20:26

ds1 has been up there for 2 years - it is a great space for them, and it is what we built them for. DP has got his office set up with built in bookshelves, and all the broadband etc. is set up through there. I don't really think that dp's office is negotiable! My study is currently the eaves room and it isn't great - the bookshelves would be taller downstairs, so more space to store my books! Plus, I really do think that the boys will love having their own space all to themselves.

OP posts:

tracyk · 07/05/2006 20:27

Can you put a stairgate or something round the window area to keep him away from it?

olivia35 · 07/05/2006 20:30

Ds's room is on the second floor, as is ours, (house built into hill so rear-facing rooms drop down an extra storey) & we have locks on windows. He's fascinated by door/window handles, I'm not good with heights & have recurring nightmare about him falling out...

We have the key to each window lock on a cotton thread hanging from picture rail, well out of ds's reach - in event of fire & stairs being cut off, dh/I could pull the key free immediately. Mind he'd then have to push me out!

Can you do something like this, ie. lock the window but have the key instantly accessible to adults?

Caligula · 07/05/2006 20:57

fisil I have exactly this problem of a velux window which is not allowed to have a window lock on it. It's my office though, but I never allow my 4 year old up there alone. Even the fact of it makes me uneasy tbh, there is absolutely no way I would let either child sleep there. It's just not worth the risk.

peaches27 · 09/05/2006 19:59

I havent had a house with a velux in, but have seen them in others. Can you block the velux off from the toddler somehow? Thinking use of furniture, or even building a safety gate type contraption around it. Have you considered fitting an alarm to the velux so the minute it is opened a loud sound is emitted which would a) alert you and b) possibly scare the toddler enough so he would desist in his escape plans?

Milliways · 09/05/2006 20:03

Our Velux windows have quite a strong catch - can't see any toddler being able to open them (but they are old - don't know about the modern ones). My DD of 15 has trouble!

tamum · 09/05/2006 20:05

The problem with any kind of contraption around it is that it has to be able to be moved instantly because it's a fire escape- no win situation. I agree with Caligula, sorry.

Wags · 09/05/2006 23:51

We have just had a loft room built which we will be using and it has a very low velux window which is the fire escape. It is in slightly hidden in the corner which makes it even more attractive for dd aged 2.11 and ds 13 months. She has already called it 'her castle' as she can see so much from the window. It would be a doddle for her to open so we have had a lock put on that means the window still opens slightly. We haven't moved up there properly yet and the kids aren't allowed there on their own obviously. Also having a stair gate at the bottom of the second lot of stairs to make sure. Wisely or unwisely we have worked on the principle that it was more likely that dd would fall out of the window than there is going to be a fire but I would be extremely uneasy about having her sleeping in the room with the window either unlocked or locked. Slightly no win situation I'm afraid :-(

Passionflower · 10/05/2006 00:08

There is no way I'd put a child in a room as you have described it, sorry. It gives me the horrors just thinking about it. I'd put them on the same floor as you sleep, much easier for you to get to them if there is a fire as well.

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