Does the job just as described

We bought a new house that has single hung windows and no child locks (our other house was double hung with child locks). We have small children (obviously) so opening their windows at all made me really nervous. These are perfect. They were easy to install and they do exactly what we were hoping they would do. I also like that you can put them wherever you want. For example, my husband measured our 2 year old's head and put it up a little higher than recommended, which allows for some extra air circulation. I also like that they're easy to remove in a fire, but not easy for a child to remove. We haven't had any problems with our kids trying to get around them or breaking them, but they understand what they're there for. We were mostly looking for something that would prevent accidents, not something our kids could abuse.

We already have Cardinal gates in our home, as they are difficult (nearly impossible) for kids to figure out. Now that they are messing with the window latches, we needed something to secure the windows, yet be easily removable in the event of an emergency. These are very easy to install in vinyl, and simple to operate for an adult. Unfortunately, the kids have already started to remove them as well, defeating the purpose. Maybe it's the kids age, but they still can't defeat the gate latch. I think the difference here is that the nearly all plastic construction makes them a little flimsier. That being said, they do provide security from the window being opened outside, and do work well until kids get older.

Safety is always my priority. I wanted something to prevent potential intruders from entering my home if I leave the window cracked at night or I forget to lock a window. My downstairs windows can only be opened 3.5 inches with the lock in place. If for whatever reason, I need to open the window more, then the lock is easily removed. I have shown my children how to remove them in case of a house fire and they need to escape through a window. My 5 year old daughter can remove it with ease after proper instruction.

I have a double-hung window, and was worried not only about the bottom sliding up, but also the top side sliding down. Most of the other window locks will only prevent the bottom from sliding up. I tried the window wedge, thinking that would solve the problem - and the wedge was not high enough - so the window went right past it with a little effort. While the instructions of this Window Warden say to screw the bracket into the window frame sides - I found that you can also screw it into the top window. What I did was open the window as much as I wanted, then set the white piece on top of it, with the screws of the bracket going into the other window. Works great. VERY easy to take off if ever needed, but with one on each side of the window - it seems very secure to prevent either window from moving more than the distance you specify.