Last updated October 2026
On a warm Tauranga night it is tempting to leave every window open. The catch is that an open window is also an easy way in, and an upstairs window opened wide is a fall risk for small children. Window security stays, also called restrictor stays, are the small piece of hardware that lets you have the breeze without either worry.
★View the Best Glass Repairs in Tauranga→Here is what they are, what they can and cannot do, and how to tell when the ones you already have need attention.
What a window stay actually does
Most awning and casement windows in New Zealand homes open on a pair of hinged metal arms fixed to the sides of the frame. These are called stays, and they control how the window swings and how far it opens.
Friction stays
A standard friction stay holds the window at whatever angle you leave it, using friction in the arm. It lets the window open fully and does nothing to limit the gap.
Restrictor and security stays
A restrictor stay, often sold as a security stay, adds a stop that limits how far the window opens. The window still swings out for air, but only to a set point. Some restrictors can be released with a button, key or tool so the window opens fully for cleaning or as a way out, while others are fixed and cannot be released.
Why people fit them
Young children
- What a restrictor helps with
- Limits how far a window opens, which reduces the risk of a child climbing or falling out
- Worth knowing
- Most useful on upstairs windows and windows above a drop
Security while airing the house
- What a restrictor helps with
- Lets windows stay open while making them harder to climb through
- Worth knowing
- Not a substitute for locking windows when you go out
Windy days
- What a restrictor helps with
- Stops a window being caught by a gust and flung wide
- Worth knowing
- Helps protect hinges and the window itself
Pets
- What a restrictor helps with
- Keeps cats and small dogs from slipping out
- Worth knowing
- Check the gap suits the size of the pet
Do window restrictors stop burglars?
They help, but they are not a lock. A restricted window is much harder to climb through than one that opens wide, and that is often enough to make someone move on. But a restrictor can be forced with enough effort, so it is best thought of as a way to ventilate safely while you are home.
When the house is empty, close and lock the windows. If some of your windows have no working locks at all, that is worth fixing at the same time as the stays.
Releasable or fixed: choose with escape in mind
It is worth thinking about how each room would be left in an emergency. A bedroom whose only window is permanently restricted could be hard to get out of in a fire. Releasable restrictors give you the security of a restricted window day to day, with the option to open it fully when you need to.
A common approach is fixed restrictors on windows that are never needed as an exit, and releasable ones in bedrooms, so everyone in the house knows how to open them.
A note for landlords and property managers
Rental homes have to meet the healthy homes standards, and the ventilation standard covers windows. Tenancy Services explains that each habitable room needs at least one window, door or skylight that opens to the outside, that openable areas together must be at least 5% of the room’s floor area, and that each opening must be able to stay fixed in an open position. The healthy homes ventilation standard on tenancy.govt.nz sets out the detail.
Stays that no longer hold a window open, or windows that have been screwed shut, are worth checking against that standard. Restricted windows that still open and stay open can help a rental stay secure and ventilated at the same time.
Signs a stay is worn or failing
Stays work hard, and in coastal suburbs like Mount Maunganui and Papamoa salt air is tough on metal hardware. Look out for:
- A window that will not stay open and drifts shut or swings wide on its own
- A window that drops at the outer edge and no longer closes squarely
- Stiffness or grinding when opening or closing
- Rust, bent arms or loose screws where the stay fixes to the frame
- A gap or draught when the window is closed, because the sash no longer pulls in tight
A worn stay can usually be replaced on its own without touching the glass or the frame, as long as a stay to suit the window size and joinery system is available.
Questions to ask before fitting or replacing stays
- Which windows need restricting, and which need to stay usable as a way out?
- Should the restrictors be releasable, and how is each one released?
- Do the existing stays suit the size and weight of the window?
- Are the window locks working, or do they need attention too?
- For a rental, will every habitable room still meet the ventilation standard afterwards?
Where OnCall Repairs fits
OnCall Repairs is a Tauranga business specialising in glass, window, door and lock repairs, working across Tauranga, Mount Maunganui and Papamoa. It offers restrictor stay installation and repair, including retrofitting stays to existing windows and replacing worn or damaged ones.
Window locks are part of the same job for many homes, and the business also carries out lock repairs on deadbolts, door locks and window locks. It works for homeowners, property managers and businesses.
To get a price, request a quote through the OnCall Repairs website or call 027 329 2163.
