Keeping your home secure and safe

Protecting your property must be a priority for anyone considering new upvc doors, upvc windows or a upvc conservatory.

The British Crime Survey estimates that there were 756,000 burglaries and attempted burglaries committed in Great Britain*. Thankfully, you can do something to protect yourself. There has been a strengthening in the security offered by replacement doors and windows with innovations such as multi-point locking mechanisms. And PVCu / upvc Conservatories have never been safer.

*Source: 2004/2005 British Crime Survey

Here are some questions to ask.

1. What are the best locks to fit?
2. What safety standards should I look for?
3. What about Building Regulations?
4. What is "Secured by Design"?
5. Are PVCu / upvc patio doors secure?
6. Are there different types of locks?
7. Can I escape from a house that´s secured?

A1. What are the best locks to fit?

Typically PVCu / upvc windows will have shootbolts that both secure the window and enable ventilation. PVCu / upvc doors should have multiple locks securing all sides of the door frame.

A2. What safety standards should I look for?

Always make sure that you fit PVCu / upvc windows that meet British Standards BS 7950; and ideally that meet PAS 23/24. These standards cover the full door and window sets e.g. the door, doorframe, hinges, locks and fixings.

European specifications ENV 1627-1630 are the equivalent and cover doors, windows and shutters. While there is plenty of information about locks (see above) don't forget about hinges. There are no specific standards but ask about corrosion resistance, strength testing and whether any tests have been carried out by the BBA (Bristish Board of Agrement) or BSI (British Standards).

Finally it is worth mentioning Fire Regulations. These are covered by BS5588 and Building Regulations Document B which look at the "fire safe" design of buildings. These require that windows allow escape in case of fire.

A3. What about Building Regulations?

When it comes to building regulations, there are two important letters to remember – Document L (Document J in Scotland) for energy efficiency and Document M for disabled access.

Document L Since April 2002, all windows and doors in England and Wales must be Document L compliant.

Here´s how it affects you:

• Products that meet these standards could reduce heat loss from your home by up to 30% - particularly if you have single glazed windows
• In technical speak this means windows must have a U-value of 2.0W/m(2)k or better
• The U-value measures how much heat is lost through the glass Low Emission or "Low E" glass is a metallic coated glass that is 30% more efficient than standard double glazing glass
• Document L also applies to doors with 50% or more glass Document L can apply to conservatories too – Listed buildings or buildings in conservation areas may be exempt
• To ensure that you fit Document L compliant products, always use a FENSA approved installer – click here to learn more about FENSA 

Document M As for Document M, this covers access to homes for people with disabilities for new properties. This states that: Reasonable provision shall be made for disabled people to gain access to and use the building. For homes this means you should give access to the main entrance to a building and access to toilets

A4. What is "Secured by Design"?

Secured by Design is a programme that helps consumers identify products that meet "Police Preferred Specifications" – and you should look for suppliers that adhere to this standard. Please be aware that Secured by Design only covers the hardware (locks etc).

All PAS23/24 approved windows include all the Secured by Design standards plus a wider guarantee covering frames and glass. Click Guarantees for details.

You can learn more at http://www.securedbydesign.com/

A5. Are patio doors secure?

Sliding doors (and windows) should have anti-lift devices to prevent them being removed from their tracks. Some sliding door locks have an in-built facility to prevent the door being lifted. Additional locks should ideally be fitted to the top and bottom of the doors and check that any force applied to open the door pushes against the lock fixing screws.

A6. Are there different types of locks?

Here are some of the different types of locks you should look for:

Shoot Bolt - A "shoot" (a solid metal smooth bolt) runs from inside the door into the frame.

Deadlock - This is lock where the bolt is fixed in its locked position.

Mortice Lock/Bolt - A lock/bolt where the body is fitted into a hole (or mortice) cut into the edge of the door or window.

Multipoint Lock - Here, two or more bolts are thrown by means of turn of the handle of the door or window.

A7. Can I escape from a house that´s secured? 

There is the possibility of a conflict between occupier safety and security. Make sure your installer has shown you a means of escape in the event of a fire. Always keep your keys within easy reach but out of reach of an intruder.