How Secure Are uPVC Sash Windows?
Besides their unsightly appearance and poor thermal efficiency, old or damaged sash windows pose a more pressing problem to property owners; security.
Portions of your rotting timber windows for example can probably be removed by hand, without the use of any tools whatsoever. Couple this with the fact that many domestic burglars target houses with obvious points of entry like old doors and windows, and you could be inviting crime into your home. If this is your reality, let’s take a look at just how secure uPVC sash windows actually are.
In the first instance, uPVC is widely regarded as more secure than timber. If they’re all manufactured to the very highest standards, modern uPVC frames stand every chance of repelling prolonged attacks from intruders.
Secured By Design Sash Windows
Of course, nobody would expect potential customers to simply take someone’s word for it; the best sash windows will have been awarded Secured By Design endorsement, so customers can be relieved that they’re purchasing a safe product for their homes.
Look for the Secured By Design label on websites and products; this is evidence of an initiative supported by the Association of Chief Police Officers for the entire United Kingdom and it means that the windows adhere to Police security standards. What better assurance that your possessions and family are as safe as they can be at home than police verification? Secured by Design Accreditation is only available to products which have passed stringent attacks both manually and by machines with specific loadings to achieve BS7950.
Look for windows which have been certified as meeting BS (British Standard) 7950 when buying – this is the official standard for sash window safety. Remember that sashes aren’t covered by regular windows standards – they have a separate regulation of their own.
Window Cam Catches
Keen to retain the traditional look of the sash window, experts have carried the beauty and elegance of cam catches through to uPVC designs. These days, catches from leading providers are much stronger and usually force thieves to look elsewhere for entry points, if they even attempt the break in at all. In fact, most modern windows aim to deter intruders from the outset but placing locks in visible areas of the inner frame. Would-be thieves can see such locks, and often target less secure properties nearby instead.
As proof of an ongoing commitment to standards and quality, some companies regularly submit their products and process for review by the British Board of Agrement (BBA). This means that, when you log onto a website or get in touch over the phone, you can have confidence that the uPVC sash windows you’re interested in remaining as secure as they ever were.
