ᐅ Secure windows and front door for a property in an exposed location

Hello everyone,

Our plot is located at the edge:
- Last plot at the end of a one-way street
- To the east, a small wooded area
- To the south, directly adjacent to the plot, a railway track, with an industrial area beyond it

Therefore, I am currently focusing on the topic of security.
We were offered "standard" windows. I don’t have detailed knowledge yet, but I can share some key points: PVC, profile depth 70mm (2.8 inches), 5 chambers, Veka profile reinforced to 2mm (0.08 inches), triple glazing (called Veka Topline).
- For an additional cost: profile depth 82mm (3.2 inches), 6 chambers, 3 sealing levels (called Softline).
- For an additional cost: RC1 (4 security locking points).
- For an additional cost: RC2N (6 to 12 security locking points, anti-pry protection, drill protection, lockable handle).
- For an additional cost: magnetic contact for monitoring.
- For an additional cost: insulated aluminum blinds (electric operated).

The offered aluminum front door includes multipoint locking, aluminum panel, and warping-resistant sash.

At this point, I am mainly concerned with the windows. We would choose as follows:
Windows with 82mm (3.2 inches) profile depth without magnetic contacts and with aluminum blinds.

Questions:
1) Do electric blinds automatically provide lift protection?

2) RC2N means the glass is the weak point. Due to the adjacent railway track and the edge location, I consider the glass quite vulnerable as an attack target since breaking it wouldn’t be seen or heard when a train passes by. Therefore, I would prefer glass that is more difficult to break. Full RC2 would provide such glass but would have disadvantages in energy performance (U-value?), correct? How about RC2N combined with an impact-resistant protective film?

Thank you very much for your help.

100% security is hardly achievable. I would rather invest in an automatic camera surveillance system that immediately alerts you to movement and possibly turns on the lights inside the house. Depending on how quickly the police respond in your area, potential intruders would likely leave quickly...

I completely agree with the first sentence, which is why my question was not: "What offers me 100% security?" 🙂

Personally, I prefer "mechanical protection." Camera systems are currently not a topic for me.

My questions therefore remain about anti-lift protection for automatic roller shutters and RC2 safety glass versus RC2N plus protective film – taking insulating properties into account.

sirhc schrieb:
Full RC2-rated glazing would provide this, but it would have disadvantages in terms of energy performance (U-value?), correct?

As far as I know: It depends!

In this situation, I would install RC2-rated glazing on the ground floor and RC1 upstairs, except for windows above the garage, trash bins, etc., where I would again use RC2. That would be my baseline. Additionally, motion sensors and floodlights could be used to illuminate the property around the house when there is movement (such as a neighbor’s cat). It’s also a good idea to have network cabling in the attic to add IP cameras later.

IMHO: Passive protection is the first choice.

Pro tip: Consult the police—they offer advice on this for free and should be impartial and knowledgeable ;-). You might also consider asking your insurance company for advice.

To climb from a "regular" trash bin up to a window on the upper floor requires quite an athletic person. Additionally, a trash bin can easily be moved. I think if you install different types of windows, it’s enough to use the more secure ones on the ground floor. Obviously, that’s where an intruder would try first, and if they don’t succeed there, it’s unlikely they will climb onto the garage or scale the facade to try again on the upper floor. As I said, I find lighting and/or noise triggered by cameras and alarm systems more effective. Any window, regardless of type, will be damaged after a break-in attempt and will be covered by insurance anyway. However, the disturbances caused by the mentioned measures tend to attract attention and, in my opinion, deter burglars more effectively than just making it take longer for them to get inside.

Peanuts74 schrieb:
In my opinion, attracting attention through the mentioned measures is more likely to scare off burglars than if they simply need more time to break into the house.

Police advisory centers have a different opinion.