Door locks, alarm systems, and motion sensors aren’t enough to protect your home from burglars. Intruders often look to the windows for a way in. But they don’t only break the glass to enter your home. Open windows, unlocked sashes, warping or gaps in frames, and overgrown shrubbery can put your property at risk. Window replacement can significantly boost home security by deterring potential burglars and allowing you to react to any potential threats.
Protecting your home and family isn’t only about installing new windows. The features and measures you choose during window installation are equally important.
The following will help burglar-proof your windows and enhance the protection new installations can provide:
- A High-Quality Window Lock: Even if your windows are in good shape, make sure the locks engage by locking the window and trying to push it open from outside. Broken locks should be replaced immediately. Effective options include keyed locks or locking pins that secure the sash on double-hung windows (hinged wedge locks are another option). Pin locks are effective on ground floor windows.
- Window Security Alarms: Magnetic or contact sensors connected to an alarm are popular. Oftentimes these are connected to outside alarm companies that provide alerts when a forced entry is detected. Other options include motion sensors, which sense motion via temperature changes; photo-beam alarms; and shock alarms that sound when a window breaks.
- Shatterprof Film: When a film is placed over the glass, it will break but not fall out or fragment into many pieces. The thicker the film, the more protection it provides. Some shatterproof films can be tinted, while most block out UV light.
- High-Strength Glass: Safety windows feature tempered glass, which has four times the strength of annealed glass. Attempting to break the glass will cause it to crumble, causing a greater disturbance if a burglar tries to gain entry through a window. Plexiglas (acrylic), being 10 times stronger than standard glass, is highly impact resistant, while polycarbonate windows are even stronger.
- Window Bars: These protect your home even if someone manages to break the glass. Squeezing through the bars presents a challenge, while trying to remove or break the bars will take more time than an intruder has. Not all window bars look the same; some even come in decorative styles and custom designs.
- Sharp Shrubbery: Placing thorny plants around the outside of your windows is a good way to deter burglars. At night, it can be hard to tell what types of plants are there. You can easily surprise a would-be burglar. This is actually not a new tactic, but it still works very well.
- Exterior Lights: A burglar’s goal is to get in your home and out as quickly as possible, without being seen. Flood lights instantly reveal an intruder’s presence. Motion lights sense any movement around them, while some trigger alarms or motion-activated alerts to cell phones.
- Security Cameras: Cameras can be connected to alarms and motion-controlled lights. The most effective outdoor security cameras include HD video, night vision, two-way communication, and other useful features. Indoor surveillance cameras are available as well.
Trust a Professional Window Replacement Company
Whether you want to update old windows or improve home security, Window World of Boston provides top-quality replacement and installation services. We serve homeowners out of our Woburn, Pembroke, and Shrewsbury offices, providing free in-home consultations throughout the region. To secure your home and ensure your family’s protection, call or submit our web form to get in touch with our window installation professionals.
