Window bars are not entirely common today, but they seem to be making a comeback. Supposedly, window bars because popular because a lady had so many claims on her insurance that her provider dropped her and the only way an insurance company would pick her back up was because of the window bars she had added to her home. During that time they were literally steel bars on windows. Nowadays they have come a long way and are often decorative. If you have been thinking about installing window bars, here are a few advantages and disadvantages to having them.
Advantages
The biggest advantage is the safety that they provide. More often than not, if someone is out causing trouble and sees the window bars, they will probably look to the next home or business to break into. Besides the obvious, window bars can also protect people inside from accidentally getting out. They will help keep small children and animals inside and from wandering off.
As mentioned above, there are many decorative window bars available. Rather than literal bars, there are patterns that range from floral to custom designs, they even come in multiple colors.
Disadvantages
The obvious first thought is that they are actually dangerous because they are trapping people or pets inside of the home if there is a fire or emergency. While this can be a disadvantage sometimes, it’s not true across the board. There are some window bars that have release mechanisms that allow them to be opened in case of emergencies. Something else that may be minor to consider is the fact that you cannot easily gain access to your home if you get locked out. Crawling through a window would not work in this situation, so be extra careful not to lock yourself out of your home or make sure you know where a hidden spare key is.
Things to Consider
When thinking about getting window bars, consider only getting bars on windows that are easily accessible. This will help cut back on costs and help make your home look less “institutionalized”. If you don’t want to get bars on all windows, then consider getting additional iron or steel fencing around the area you are looking to secure.
Window bars have advantages and disadvantages just like any security measures you may take for your home or business. Whether you need window bars is completely up to how secure you want to make your home. If you want to take this security measure, reach out to SIA Iron Designs today to get that process started.