When it comes to protecting your home, there is nothing more important than whole-house security. Most people think about securing the doors, the garage, and the outside of the home, but many forget to secure the windows. As such, windows can be your weakest area of security, aka a burglar’s greatest gift.
By burglar proofing your windows, it will be much more difficult for a burglar to enter your home undetected:
1. Window Alarms
As with most home security systems, you can opt to add a window alarm feature. Most traditional and basic home security systems alert you if someone breaks into your home through a door, but that unfortunately leaves your windows vulnerable to burglars. However, new security systems from companies like CPI Security offer you the ability to install window alarms.
There are several types of window alarms available. It can be a simple window sensor alarm, which detects when a window is open or glass is broken. Or, it can be sometime more elaborate like a motion detector alarm, which senses movement outside of the window even before the window is broken or opened.
2. Reinforced Glass
Older windows with faulty locks or cracked glass are an invitation for burglars. When it comes to reinforcing the glass of your windows, you have a few options. Beginning with tempered glass, this type of window is much more durable than traditional window glass, making it much more difficult to break. While it is much more expensive than traditional window glass, it does offer maximum protection. Another option is installing laminated glass, also known as safety glass, which consists of a layer of vinyl in between two sheets of regular glass. The only way to break through this safety glass would be repeated hits to the window, which is noisy and draws more attention than most burglars want.
3. Window Bars
There are different types of window bars you can purchase for your home. External window bars protect your windows by making them inaccessible to burglars. The bars prevent burglars from being able to climb in through the window. On the other hand, if exterior bars ruin the aesthetics of your home, there are internal window bars that can be placed on the track of each window or sliding glass door in the home, which prevents a burglar from being able to slide the window open.
4. Window Locks
Proper window locks can do their job. The best window lock to deter burglars is a lock that’s visible from the outside. Deadbolts, pin locks, and vinyl locks are of the best locks to install.
5. Polycarbonate and Plexiglas Windows
Other window options are acrylic plastic windows like Plexiglas. They have the same thickness as traditional window glass, but are nearly 10 times stronger. Polycarbonate windows are even stronger than Plexiglas, making them far more impact resistant than safety glass. However, both Plexiglas and polycarbonate are more expensive than traditional windows.
Protecting your windows is an important security measure that can keep your home safe and sound.