Home And Personal Security: Home Windows Security
Sometimes it can be easy to forget that an unwanted visitor to your home is probably not going to bother coming through the front door. Windows have proven to be the weak point in many homes' security planning, and are a constant target of opportunity for burglars and thieves. Below are some thoughts on how you can make your home safer and more crime-resistant with home windows security.
The construction of your windows offers a starting point in their defense against potential criminals. Many window makers offer glass treated with laminates as a way to strengthen the windows and increase their security. They may also offer windows with thickened, shatter-resistant glass or double-paned windows that resist tampering. Double-paned windows offer the additional benefit of being better insulated, thus reducing heating and cooling costs and provide better protection from extremes of weather.
Take a moment to inspect all of your windows and make sure that they are undamaged, fit properly, and that the locks on them are functioning as intended. If you want to leave your windows open, do not leave them fully open and incorporate a lock or restriction device that keeps them from being opened any further from the outside. Often, a metal bar can accomplish this, but check carefully that this will suffice to fully protect your window from being opened any further.
Front doors with small windows within them can be an attractive architectural device, but they are a potential breach in your home's security. If you are serious about making your home resistant to intrusion, then choose a solid door that will discourage a frontal attack. Sliding glass doors are also particularly vulnerable to break-ins; choose a model that offers several locks, deep tracks (to avoid removal of the door completely), and shatter-resistant construction.
Most sophisticated alarm systems offer several features to detect an unwanted entry through your windows. Circuit alarms can detect when a window is opened, stopping a thief before they enter your home. A motion detector will sound an alert if a burglar has compromised the window and entered the home; motion detectors can also be set outside a window but these run the risk of excessive false alarms produced by wildlife and wind-related disturbances, and so are not recommended.
There is little point in investing your time and money in securing your house, and then leaving an open window through which a burglar can access your home and make off with your valuables. Home windows security is only as strong as the weakest link in the system, so make sure that your windows are not that weak link. It may seem like the fragility of a glass window can never be properly defended, but with some common sense and planning you can make a burglar think twice before targeting your home.
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