Why You Need Security Glazing For Your Home, And How To Choose It

Security glazing is no longer something of interest just to industrial sites, shops and public buildings. Increasingly many homeowners are seeking to have security glazing fitted to exterior windows as well, and when you consider the problems and risks of having a broken window, not to mention the expense, it's easy to see why industrial strength security glazing has found its way into our homes.

Although having high security in our homes is important, and not something we would query, there can be some concerns when the phrase 'industrial strength' is used. Certainly this can be reassuring in terms of effectiveness, but we may also have concerns about appearance. After all, the last thing we want is to have to turn our homes into an industrial scene, with wire mesh windows.

Fortunately, this is not necessary, and security glazing has improved tremendously in recent years. In particular, Vandalite security glazing has gained a reputation for being the first security glazing for the home to meet British safety standards and to attain the Kite Mark. Vandalite glass is tough - very tough - but fortunately this strength does not come at the price of appearance. In fact, should you choose to, you can have industrial strength Vandalite security glazing installed which will actually improve the look of your home.

Lead paned windows look very attractive, but having metal rods or strips across a window serves another purpose - one of security. Many older properties had paned windows which incorporated metal strips or rods which were embedded into the sides of the frame. This vastly improved security, and meant that just breaking a window wasn't enough to gain access. However, today many of the windows which look secure, including those which appear to be lead paned, are simply created that way for show.

This can give a false sense of security, and very little is needed to break a standard residential window. Unfortunately, once a window is broken it can easily result in a burglary - either by the person who broke the window or simply someone taking advantage of the opportunity. Many home burglaries are as a direct result of a broken window, and so it makes sense to make this method of entry as difficult as possible.

Without sacrificing appearance, even perhaps by improving it, you could have lead paned or decorated Vandalite security glazing installed which will look extremely attractive, add to the appearance of your house, and increase security significantly. This type of glass will not only withstand accidental breakage or damage, such as items being thrown, a kicked football or a carelessly positioned ladder, but Vandalite windows for your home will also guard against willful damage or vandalism.

If someone attempts to break your window, and fails, they are unlikely to keep on trying, making more noise and taking more time. They'll simply move on. This acts not just as direct protection, but as a deterrent as well.

Vandalite security glazing is available in a range of colours and styles, from those which might be considered entirely industrial, including street light casings and bus shelters, to those which would not look out of place on a country cottage. But there are other advantages too.

If you have fancy windows, such as lead paned or paneled, then if a window does get broken, the cost to replace it can be quite high. Vandalite is extremely affordable, and compared to most security glazing, is a much cheaper option. The windows can be easily replaced, taking little time. The glass can even be cut to shape and size on site, meaning that should a window get broken, replacing it will be quick, easy and more cost effective than replacing traditional safety glass.

One of the weaker areas of a property can be the shed or garage if it has windows. The windows provided as standard are usually very thin and easily broken. Replacing these with Vandalite windows will drastically improve the security, and reduce the risk of being burgled. Of course, it's also worth bearing in mind that if you have Vandalite security glazing fitted, your insurance premiums are likely to be lowered. Since windows are the prime source of entry for most home burglaries, taking measures to prevent against this possibility will increase your peace of mind whilst decreasing your premiums. And what price is peace of mind anyway?