The window is a big weak point in your home. It only takes 10 seconds to open most windows and patio doors with a crowbar or screwdriver. With leverage, the window will lift and unhinge. However, there are solutions to secure a French window or to secure a window. A single window lock can be enough to stop the vast majority of burglary attempts. On this page you will find all of our advice for choosing the window lock best suited to your needs. Whether you need to secure a single or double window or even if you need to secure a French window, there is necessarily a solution: locks, rod, window bars, keyed window handle, etc. All the locks available on the protect home site are suitable for PVC, aluminum or wood.
The result with an anti-burglary window system is truly stunning.
The first step is to identify the type of window that you want to protect against burglaries: single leaf, double leaf, single leaf French window, door double-leaf window… The suitable lock(s) will not necessarily be the same depending on your joinery and your protection needs. More details on the different window styles can be found below. Please note: All our window security locks work equally well on wood, PVC or aluminum.
The single-leaf window will be the easiest to secure against burglaries. Many locks exist, more or less resistant, which you simply need to place near the window locking handle. A single window lock is enoughto protect you very effectively from malicious people. As you can see in the picture below, all you need to do is place one of these window security locks below the handle or at the bottom of the window on the opening side. It is in fact on the opening side that the greatest fragility is found. All the locks in this photo work perfectly for a single-leaf window. Simply click on the image to find these different products.
Anti-intruder double-leaf window lock:
It is perfectly possible to protect a two-sash window with a single Abus window lock. Since the casement with the handle overlaps the second casement and locks the whole, you only need to protect the second casement to ensure total protection. For optimum protection, however, it is very important to select a lock with a minimum security rating of 7/10. As the size of the window increases, the burglar-proof window security selected must be very strong and prevent any movement of the casements. The lock should be positioned on the lower part of the window, on the opening sash side.
The security index of your lock on a double-leaf window must be 7/10 minimum if you choose to install only one. We recommend the FTS 88 model or the 206 window lock model which are very resistant and have the advantage of being discreet. These resist more than a ton of tensile pressure, providing formidable protection against a crowbar or screwdriver. Click on this link to find all the window locks for double sashes.
You can use 1 or 2 window locks depending on your security needs. The larger your French window, the more we recommend the use of two locks. You will need to place the locks on the opening side, i.e. where the handle is located.
It is preferable to use 2 locks if you want to effectively protect your French window. You can also opt for a “same keys” solution in order to have only one and the same key for your different locks. You can also choose to put a single lock on the handle side and a hinge/hinge protector on the hinge side so that both sides of the window door are secure.
This is the most difficult and expensive configuration to protect. In this case there are several options. For 10/10 security on a French window which is very vulnerable and which you absolutely must reinforce as much as possible, you will have to start with the addition of an overlapping rod which will add 2 anchor points to your current system. The 5 anchor points of this rod, including one anchor point at the top and another at the bottom, provide maximum protection for your French window. All the information can be found directly on the product page. If your French window is already protected by a shutter which is itself reinforced by a shutter security bar or if you have an alarm with an opening detector or if you believe that a burglar will not be able to stay more than 5 minutes in front of your door so you are not obliged to reinforce your French window as firmly as with a rod. You can then opt for two locks, to be placed as in the black configuration. In this case, choose thin locks to be able to position them at the bottom of the French window and thus have as little inconvenience as possible. Note that these are not optimal configurations but that this will already considerably slow down the burglar in his mission.
Ideally, you can use hinge protectors to further combat lifting around the edge of the French window. The huge advantage of a hinge reinforcement/hinge protector is that you don’t need to lock it every time unlike a bolt. Protection is automatic and permanent.
You will find at the bottom of the majority of products available on our site a video explaining how to install the product. You will also have detailed instructions with numerous images to facilitate the installation of the different window locks. The majority of locks are suitable for overlapping installation (The window and frame are at the same level) or installation with wedges to compensate for the gap between the window and the frame. In most cases you will find 3 or 4 shims with different thicknesses to allow you to perfectly align the lock on the window with the part allowing locking on the frame.
Important note: If your PVC is hollow (this may be the case if your PVC is more than 6 years old) or your aluminum is hollow, the fixing of the lock may not be optimal. To maximize the strength of the lock, we recommend using a fixing kit or an anchor bolt so that the screwing is done in a more solid part. Note that it is difficult to know if your PVC is hollow or not before drilling it. We therefore recommend that you do not purchase a reinforcement kit and if it turns out to be empty on the day of installation, simply order the kits that we have in stock and which we will ship to you very quickly.
The hardest part of securing a window or French window isfinding a balance between a lock that will be very resistant but also relatively discreet and above all very practical for daily useso that its use is not restrictive. Practicality is an even more essential criterion when the number of windows to be fitted is large. A lock stands out in this sense. This is the ABUS 206 Easy Lock Window Lock. In addition to being very robust with resistance to more than a ton of pressure, it has two levels of closure. A first without using the key by simple pressure and a second with the key when you push the bolt to the maximum. You can also see very easily whether the lock is closed or not unlike other models. Here is a short demonstration video of this window lock:
You can also opt for a keyed window handle with or without alarm to secure your window or French window. The biggest advantage of a security key handle with a minimum rating of 9/10 is that youcombine the strength of a window lock with the security of a lock on the handle. This can have a double advantage: Fight against the breakage of a small part of the window in order to simply open the window by turning the handle (this becomes impossible if your handle has a key or you have a lock window) and prevent a member of your family from exiting through this exit (for example to prevent a child from going outside too easily).
Nothing better than a window grille to seal off an exit presenting a risk to your home. The huge advantage of this Abus model is that it adapts to the different sizes of your windows. It is therefore ideal for cellar and ground floor windows as well as windows opening onto the bathroom, toilets, etc. Once installed, it will no longer be possible to remove the bars. This solution is therefore not possible for a passage window…
To maximize the security of your window, you can additionally use a hinge reinforcement which will have the effect of securing the other side of the window, the one least protected by your lock. A hinge reinforcement is not necessary for a standard size single or double leaf window but can be very useful on a French window or very large window. The hinges of a window are indeed very fragile and are only there to support the window. The anti-burglary protection is then completely null. The big advantage of a hinge reinforcement is that there is no need to use the key to lock or unlock the security. Your window is permanently protected.
It is entirely possible to get the same keys for multiple locks. This will make your daily life easier if you have several windows to secure. A single key will unlock all of your locks. A solution that can quickly prove essential if you have several locks and you don’t want to get lost in managing your keys. Two options are possible:
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about this.
