What You Need VS What You Got (Part 10)

By Robert Jones

Image by Svadilfari

We’re almost finished with our series on making the most of the gear you have and can afford. We’ve finished discussing doors, so that brings us to windows.

Most windows are either double hung (slide up and down in their frame), or horizontal sliders (slide side to side). Both styles are about equal when it comes to security.

I of course recommend that you install bars over the windows and the 3M plastic film over the glass. I also recommend replacing as many windows as possible with glass block (especially the basement windows).

Now to the alternate solutions. Most brands of windows have very cheap latches that can be pried open with a butter knife. The simple solution to these weak latches is to do what you did for your sliding patio door. Cut a broomstick to length, and put it snugly into the window track.

For your double hung windows, you want to glue a piece of Velcro to the top end of the window track, and to the top edge of the broomstick. The Velcro prevents the broomstick from falling out of the window track should the criminal be able to shake the window in its frame.

Although some brands of windows can be lifted out of their frame for easy cleaning, I have never seen one that does not require the window to be opened part way in order to do this. If you can keep your window closed, you do not have to worry about it being lifted out of its frame. (If any of you do find a window that can be lifted out of its’ track while closed please let me know the make and style so I can warn the other readers of this problem. Thanks).

As with your sliding patio door there is no cheap simple way to keep the criminal from breaking your window glass. You want the criminal to have to break the glass to get in. The sound of breaking glass will give you a few moments of warning so you can react to protect yourself and your family.