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Notes -
I was thinking of some much wider stuff I've seen, but that must not be chicken wire.
The point is that it has to be LEGIBLY -- that is, documentably -- able to support the load in that particular application. It's not enough that it works, you have to be able to prove it works to the bureaucrats. Which with any sort of improvised solution, you can't.
That's... kind of not true in this case. Building inspectors do have four inch spheres (usually more of a cone) that they will try to push through deck/stair pickets if they have concerns; the amount of force that they are to use for this is underspecified (comes up with cable railings a lot), but I'd think that that well-fastened chicken wire (usually hexagonal; you are maybe thinking of page wire?) would utterly defeat such an inspector even if he tried to literally throw himself out the window.
Not sure that making your house look like a chicken coop is the Chad solution here though -- "fuck you, make me" is much better, as I describe above.
Ah, yes, that's the stuff I was thinking of. Or maybe welded wire fence, which seems to be similar only welded instead of knotted. Guess that's more for sheep than chickens.
A guard made of chicken wire wouldn't look any worse than some of the official monstrosities
I don't know if my area has such a rule (it appears there is one for landlords but I don't see one for homeowners), but my relevant windows are not only free, they have a convenient ledge for kids to climb up on to make their jump easier.
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