When we think of our home security, we think of our doors. The truth is, to a criminal, a window is as good an entry as any. That’s why you need to ensure that your windows meet the approved standard of resistance and protection.
In short, you want to ensure any installed windows meet the standard known as:
PAS 24:2016
As this is an area which is already well covered in many other sources, and as CrimePrevention.info is more about making sure you understand the basics without going into too much technical depth, please refer to Secure By Design for more technical details on PAS 24 and other standards.
PAS stands for Product Assessment Specification and it covers not only windows but also doorsets (a door that is supplied already fitted to a frame). PAS 24 is an officially recognised standard for protection and resistance, and any window or door carrying this accreditation must be fully certified and approved.
It means the window meets basic levels of security, can withstand certain levels of attacks and is what you as a home owner should as a minimum, be looking to have in your home.
With PAS 24 windows, you can be confident that you’ve given yourself a good headstart against someone armed with a crowbar, but there is more should the risk demand it. Remember, it’s all about being appropriate to the level of risk.
You could for example have the glass laminated to the standard known as:
BS EN 356:2000 class 1
This again is covered by Secure By Design in the New Homes Guide 2019 V2 for more detailed information.
Laminate glass means that when the glass is broken, rather than completely shattering and allowing access, the glass fragments as it is held together by a lamination process. This means the glass can remain in place, albeit it shattered into thousands of tiny fragments, and can still provide a barrier to access. It also provides a key safety feature for windows which are at low level and risk being accidentally broken or ran in to (patio doors etc).
Laminate comes with a cost, and this should be borne in mind. If cost isn’t an issue or if the risk demands it though, then laminate glass should be installed in all ground floor and easily accessible windows. This doesn’t necessarily mean windows above ground height unless they are accessible via, for example, a flat roof. You are unlikely to find someone hanging off a ladder trying to smash through laminate glass, so again, it’s proportionate to the risk.
However, all of this is completely pointless if you don’t remember the following:
Lock all of your windows, all of the time
If that window isn’t open, it should be locked. For windows above ground level (this means 1st floor and above) you can feasibly leave the key in the lock unless the window is easily accessible. For accessible windows, keys should be secured out of sight.
Maintain your windows
It’s easy just to wipe the glass down once in a while, but you need to clean the seals around the window edges and ensure the frame is in good order. If the seals start to fail due to a build-up of mould, moisture, etc, then the overall integrity of the window starts to fail. It’s not unheard of for the glass pane to be simply popped out of a rotten wooden frame or weakened uPVC frame!
Close any coverings where possible
Curtains, blinds, whatever it may be – if the criminal can’t see it, they can’t want it. If you have high value items in plain view to everyone walking by, it creates temptation or attracts unwanted attention. We like to let light into our rooms but where possible, keep the window coverings closed or relocate high value items into a less visible space in the room.
Advertise your security
A window is a great place to put that stick that tells the world you have an alarm / CCTV system / Smartwater / a hungry dog. If someone is looking in your window to see what valuables you have, it’s always good to let them know what protective measures you have in place. There’s no point ‘hiding’ your security – the primary aim of any security measure is to deter, and to deter you must publicise the presence of it!