There are many ways you can improve the security of your home – and your starting point should be ensuring the strength of your windows and doors.
Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that in incidents of domestic burglary where the intruder entered a dwelling, they gained entry through a door around 70% of the time and through a window around 30% of the time.
Therefore, double glazing, especially on ground floor windows, should be a priority.
Why you should replace single glazing and old double glazing
Single glazed windows, particularly if they’re on the ground floor, will leave you vulnerable to intruders. And while older styles of double glazing may be more secure than single glazed windows, they’re not as strong as modern types of double and triple glazing.
Single glass pane windows make it easy for burglars. Not only can they smash the glass without too much hassle, intruders have also been known to remove the window putty and take out the pane of glass.
Unfortunately, even if a window is locked, it’s still not difficult to splinter wooden frames and remove entire windows.
The strength of modern double glazing
Not only is double glazing much thicker, the insulated glass units fit into windows, so they can’t be removed. In particular, a uPVC window is secured into the surround of the house and locked into the frame with multipoint locking.
The panes are also much tougher, and an intruder will have a hard job trying to smash through two or three layers of glass.
Choose toughened and laminated glass
Toughened and laminated glass are both excellent if you want additional protection for your home.
Toughened glass is resilient to force and extremely durable – it’s up to five times stronger than normal glass. It can stand increased levels of shock, is highly robust, and unlikely to be breached by force.
Laminated glass has the same strength as regular glass but offers protection by including a sheet of durable plastic between the two panes. This makes it hard to make a hole in the window. And if the glass breaks, the layer of plastic holds all the smashed shards together. As a result, it restricts an intruder from gaining entry through the broken window.
Window locks and restrictors add further security
Many different types of locks and bolts can be used to increase home security.
For example, multi-point locks will bolt the window in the frame, securing it at different points. Or push-button handles can be used with a latch mechanism that locks windows when pushed. You can also use keys with push-button handles for additional protection.
Another security feature of modern double-glazed windows is hinge restrictors. These will dictate how wide your window is able to open, stopping intruders from being able to enter through an open window.
Interested in securing your home with double glazing?
There are many ways you can improve your home security, but fitting double glazing is one of the most effective steps you can take.
Call us on 01256 830 079 or email: [email protected]
