Installing new home improvements can enhance the overall aesthetics of your home and add value. But did you know that they can also help to keep your home safe and secure?
Last year, over 15% of all crimes in West Yorkshire were attributed to residential burglary. Had the targeted homes incorporated secure windows, doors and conservatories, it is likely that a large number of the break ins could have been avoided.
Read on to learn about 10 things you can do to secure your home, and ensure it does not come a part of the burglary statistics for 2016.
1. Aluminium Windows
Aluminium is used for all types of vehicles, including bikes, aircraft and even spaceships. This material allows people to move at fast speeds and defy gravity. It can certainly improve the security of your home too! Few materials combine strength, security and style but are still lightweight.
Aluminium windows boast slim lines and large glass areas, thanks to the strength of the material. It is hard to corrode, completely weatherproof and won’t rot. This also means that it is safe against the hands of thieves, even if they attempt to use forced entry.
Dated sash windows are renowned for being easy to break into – you can simply slide a knife between the two sashes to unhook the latch. This means that you cannot rely on existing central sash fasteners on old styles. The solution? Update your dated sash windows with modern alternatives.
Modern uPVC sash windows are manufactured to the highest standard – they are stylish, slide open and shut with minimum effort for ventilation and are energy efficient. What’s more, they can incorporate state-of-the-art locking mechanisms. Good installers will ensure that their products are accredited by the Secured by Design initiative, meaning even traditional styles of window can combine elegant aesthetics with improved security.
3. Tilt and Turn Windows
You’ve got a dilemma. You want to ventilate your damp prone living space but without compromising too much on security. For years there has been no solution – but modern times has led to modern designs:
the tilt and turn window.
Tilt and turn windows can be opened like a normal casement window via a side hinge, or opened a small amount from the top of the frame. This means that living spaces can be ventilated without having to leave the window wide open. This is useful if you want to ventilate windows at night, or when you are upstairs and the room needing air is downstairs (or vice versa).
4. Triple Glazing
Put simply, triple glazing can add an extra layer of protection for your home. Adding another pane of glass will make it far harder for thieves to enter your property – even if they managed to break one pane, they would be heard long before they made it inside!
Triple glazing can also protect your home against the cold – adding another layer of quality glass is effectively adding another layer of insulation. It’s no wonder that triple glazing is included in windows as standard in colder countries like Scandinavia.
5. Safety Glass
Laminated glass is designed to hold together when broken or shattered. If it breaks, it is held in place by an interlayer and prevented from breaking into large sharp pieces. This is good news if you are worried about intruders entering your property through the glass in your doors or windows – you will hear when the glass is broken and be able to call for assistance before they can make entry.
Equally beneficial for security, toughened glass is made stronger with thermal or chemical treatments. This makes it far more work for potential intruders, who are likely to move on if faced with the product.
6. Composite Doors
The highest quality
composite doors have a sub frame filled with high density foam. They are then finished with a glass reinforced plastic polymer skin (GRP). This creates a strong core and highly durable surface – it looks like wood but does not require maintenance and is far stronger (more resistant to dents and cutting).
A composite door can therefore significantly increase the security of your front door, and make it almost impossible for intruders to enter, especially if combined with high performance locks. The doors look traditional too and are available in a range of styles – you don’t have compromise on looks or safety.
7. Aluminium Bifolds
Your interior living spaces are probably home to a lot of expensive equipment – and you of course. Ensure that the partition walls between rooms are secure – opt for an
aluminium bifold door.
Made almost entirely of glass, a bifold door makes rooms look and feel far more spacious. Natural light can seep through rooms and draughts can be kept at bay. Combined with strong glazing and efficient locks, bifold doors can also secure your living spaces.
This makes them ideal for rooms where you keep most of your electricals. Intruders may get inside, but they won’t make it much further than the point of entry. Put simply, adding a secure doorway makes for far less successful thieves!
8. Conservatory Enhancements
Conservatories built before the millennium are likely to incorporate polycarbonate roofs or weak window and door frames. This makes them tempting entry points for thieves, especially if your conservatory is within sight of roads.
Secure your glazed extension with a new roof and modern windows and doors. This will mean that roofs can’t be cut and the overall frame will be far more secure. It may even make sense to invest in a new extension – reputable companies will offer you cost effective living spaces that prioritise style, function and security.
9. Secure Locks and Hinges
They may be small details, but secure locking mechanisms could be the difference between a successful and failed burglary attempt. The best locks to ensure safety are multipoint styles and those products that utilise deadbolts and latches.
10. High Quality Products from the Best Installers
Fortunately, Kingfisher Windows offer all of the above products – we have been satisfying customers across Yorkshire with our windows, doors and conservatories since 1989. This experience makes us experts in secure home improvements.
All of our windows are accredited by the Secured by Design Metropolitan Police initiative – the highest accolade for installations to residential properties. Equally, all of our products feature multipoint locks, stainless steel hinges, efficient glazing as standard and are tested to enhanced security performance standards.
If you live in
West Yorkshire,
Pontefract or
Doncaster and want to make the most of your living spaces, it makes sense to
enquire about our range of products – our home improvements will never compromise on a combination of style, durability, efficiency and security.
