Going on holiday without worrying about burglary in the house you left behind? Feeling safe at home despite the lack of neighbors? No worries about meeting burglars in the middle of the night? We tell you how to feel safe in your home.
How do burglars get into homes?
The statistical data are clear: several thousand houses are robbed in Poland every year. Large terrace, balcony and ground floor windows are the weakest element of the building's anti-burglary protection. Thieves using a few simple tools, such as a screwdriver, crowbar or drill, can get inside the building in a few minutes. Each of us sometimes leaves our apartment empty for several hours. During holidays it can be even a few days. A house left unattended becomes an easy target for burglars, who usually observe the apartment even several weeks before attempting to break in. They learn the habits of household members and know perfectly well when the house is empty. Therefore, we should think about the threat already at the stage of building the house. Holidays are a time when we want to relax from stress.
Secure your apartment
The statements of burglars caught in the act show that some security measures make burglary significantly more difficult, and sometimes even prevent it. The use of anti-burglary technologies extends the burglary time so much that thieves stop robbing apartments that are so protected.
How to increase the level of home security, giving yourself the opportunity to sleep peacefully, go on holiday without worries or go to the cinema in comfort? First of all, windows should be secured.
The windows provide information about the level of anti-burglary protection RC indicators (resistance class). In research units, products are subjected to a burglary test and then classified into appropriate RC classes:
| RC 1 | – basic protection against burglary using physical force |
| RC 2 | – 3-minute protection against burglary using simple tools |
| RC 3 | – protection for 5 minutes against burglary using simple tools |
| RC 4 | – protection for 10 minutes against burglary using an axe, hammer and drill |
| RC 5 | – protection for 15 minutes against burglary using power tools |
| RC 6 | – protection for 20 minutes against burglary using high-power power tools |
The time needed to breach security is crucial. Burglaries are most often associated with noise, so attempts lasting several minutes attract the attention of neighbors. Thieves, under time pressure, give up further attempts, and a our apartment remains safe.
Avoid cheaper solutions
Many houses are built in such a way that the bedroom is located on the first floor. Then the ground floor is left unattended at night. Therefore, burglaries most often occur through windows on the ground floor. If we want to properly protect our belongings, we should choose windows with a high level of security. This is especially important in the case of ground floor windows and large balcony windows.
The most important part of the window in terms of safety is the fitting equipped with the so-called "mushrooms" connecting with anti-burglary catches. The windows located around the entire perimeter have a purpose prevent the window from being forced open. The noise generated when trying to break such a window is incomparably greater than with ordinary fittings. Catches attached directly to the steel elements of the window structure allow you to forget about the threats related to burglary.
Unfortunately, we can still find windows equipped with an insufficient number of anti-burglary catches. Cheaper windows in supermarkets have practically no security. The resistance offered by such a window is insufficient, and our apartment becomes an easy target for thieves. You should ask yourself whether it is worth taking the risk or investing in the security of your assets.
Glasses differ in glass thickness and the number of foil layers between the glass layers. Thicker glass and more foil layers increase the glass's resistance to shattering. The P4 standard glazing unit with four layers of protective foil makes it significantly more difficult to break the glass. The glass does not crumble and create a spider web. This solution also increases the safety of residents in the event of glass breaking, protecting against cuts or serious wounds.
Installing window frames is another issue that determines the window's resistance to burglary. Many installation teams do not have appropriate experience, which not only results in a loss of thermal insulation, but also exposes residents to the loss of valuable property. Therefore, when choosing windows, it is necessary to pay attention to the installation techniques used by the manufacturer. Warm assembly is now a standard that guarantees safety, not only thermal.
A standard that ensures safety
Windows of standard dimensions equipped with minimum four anti-theft hooks will make problems related to burglary a thing of the past for household members. This solution is standard at BERTRAND, which offers certified windows with high resistance class RC 2, giving its customers a priceless sense of security.
“BERTRAND offers the option of equipping windows with additional anti-burglary catches, which increases the anti-burglary parameters of the product. Such solutions increase the sense of security and mean that we can leave the house without fear of burglary,' says Rafał, director of the Sales Department at BERTRAND. The possibility of equipping the window with additional catches is especially important for people who live on the sidelines or near the forest. Then the noise during a burglary alone will not be enough to protect the house.
Creating a package of solutions in the RC 4 resistance class gives us a very high level of security, especially important in the absence of neighbors. How to achieve such a high level of security?
Additional anti-burglary catches strengthen the window frame, making it virtually impossible for most thieves to break in successfully. Reinforcing the window structure also has an effect during strong winds, when the catches "pull" the window.
Another element of anti-burglary fittings are handles with a button or key. An additional advantage are rosettes that prevent drilling into the windows. Thieves very often use a drill to open the handle from the inside after drilling through the window. The use of special handles practically deprives burglars of any chance of getting into our apartment.
If we want to obtain a very high level of anti-burglary protection, we should install it roller blinds. They will certainly limit heat loss in the winter and block excessive sunlight, and therefore heating of the rooms, in the summer. It is an additional barrier, not only protecting against heat transfer. Breaking the roller shutter generates a lot of noise, which in most cases discourages thieves from taking such a risk. The combination of all the technologies mentioned in one window is a guarantee of security.
A number of reinforcements in BERTRAND windows will effectively prevent burglars from violating our security. A comprehensive anti-burglary product will allow us to forget about the fear of burglary.
A good example of how the described solutions work is the window of one of BERTRAND's clients. The photo shows the damage caused by burglars. Residents the loss of valuable property was avoided, thanks to the use of anti-burglary technologies. The investment in anti-burglary windows paid off several times and the sense of security remained intact.
Choose safety
Choosing a window is a decision that will last for years. Therefore, it is worth investing in fittings that will protect us against theft and allow us to return home in peace without fear of burglary. An appropriate anti-burglary standard is an investment for many years, so it is worth choosing the highest quality security.
KOMBISYSTEM PLUS window with an additional anti-burglary fin.
One of the windows that, thanks to the use of innovative solutions, increases the standard of protection against burglary is the KOMBISYSTEM PLUS PVC window. Find out more about it on our website: https://bertrand.pl/pl/okna-pvc-pl-kombisystem-plus
