<h1>Security as a Key Criterion in Choosing Plastic Windows</h1>

In 80% of cases, perpetrators enter family homes through windows, sliding systems, and secondary doors, most often balcony doors. According to statistics, only about 10% of break-ins occur through the main entrance doors. One of the important criteria to consider when choosing windows for a family house is safety. In terms of the material used, plastic windows are the most risky group on the market - especially due to the low quality of raw materials, their processing, and overall "cheating". However, even a plastic window can be perfectly secured, achieving the highest class RC3, as demonstrated by windows made from Schüco profiles, produced by the West Bohemian company WELL OKNA.

Forced Entry

"Today, thieves do not access properties by breaking glass or picking locks, as we can see in movies. A thief opts for a quick and silent method, and there are several ways," informs Vojtěch Marton from the West Bohemian company WELL OKNA, which is an authorized processor and seller of windows made from the German brand's profiles Schüco. The most common method is breaking a window. Forced entry by prying the frame or fittings concerns up to 70% of break-ins through windows.

With some plastic windows, it is enough to insert a screwdriver, crowbar, or similar flat tool between the frame and the sash, and by pushing, the window can be pried open even when closed. The main culprit is the fittings without security locks. The quality of the PVC profile also plays a role. A casement made from a low-quality profile bends more easily when pried, allowing faster release of individual fittings from their counterparts in the window frame. This type of window can be opened silently in just a few seconds. Only fittings with security locks can prevent forced entry. Even a high-quality profile with steel reinforcement usually bends under force, but it lasts longer than low-quality versions. "For these reasons, it is necessary to manufacture windows from a rigid profile and to use quality fittings with security locks. When processing windows, we use the Schüco profile system, which not only has excellent thermal insulation properties and modern design but also emphasizes the requirement for safety. The profiles are sufficiently rigid, and the fittings are mounted deep within the inner wall of the frame and sash," explains Vojtěch Marton. Windows are typically fitted with one security lock, mainly for reliable seating during ventilation, not for security. At the production facility of WELL OKNA, fittings with three security locks are standard, ensuring reliable protection against forced entry. Custom windows can be made in security classes RC2 and RC3 with multiple security locks, security glazing, and special handles. Quality fittings must be made from metal casting. "With competing products, you may encounter plated plastic. Such fittings will understandably be much cheaper, but they will become the weakest link in the entire window," adds Vojtěch Marton.

External Handle Rotation Variants

Another method used by perpetrators to gain entry through a plastic window is mechanically rotating the handle from the outside. The thief accesses the window's fittings or the handle itself during this process. If the perpetrator manages to get a prying object to the fittings, they can then use force to rotate the entire mechanism and thus turn the handle. The window opens even more silently than when pried. Here, prevention lies in the rigidity of the plastic profiles, the positioning of the fittings, and the handle itself. Today, we encounter profiles with greater construction depth of 80 mm and more on the market. Part of such profiles – e.g. Schüco Corona SI 82 – often includes central sealing, which creates an additional protective barrier between the crowbar and the fittings. If thieves manage to reach the fittings, the handle itself can still stop them. For example, the "secustic" version has a security mechanism that prevents the entire fittings system from being rotated except through the handle. Handles equipped in this way are recognizable by a familiar clicking sound when changing position. The "secustic" handle should reliably serve and protect against drilling a hole in the area of the square pin of the handle, which is another method thieves attempt to turn the handle from outside. Alternatively, special fittings components against handle drilling are used.

Thirdly, the handle can be rotated from the outside by drilling a hole under the handle. The thief then attempts to rotate the handle directly using a strong wire without touching the fittings. In such a case, according to Vojtěch Marton, a reliable protection is only a handle with a button lock or a locking handle. The rigidity of the profiles, security locks, and even the "secustic" handle are not sufficient here. The locking variant or a handle with a safety catch also helps in the case of direct drilling of the handle, and they serve excellently as reliable protection for windows in family homes with small children.

Glazing

The last option is breaking glass. This method may attract the most attention to the thief, but it cannot be overlooked. Here, professionals recommend using safety glass, which either completely prevents the thief from entering or at least makes it significantly more difficult. "We definitely recommend safety glass for windows on the ground floor, where this method of burglary must be considered, especially if the property is located in a remote area, like near a forest," points out Vojtěch Marton.

Security Classes

Plastic windows can therefore be completely safe, provided quality raw materials, manufacturing processes, and specific measures are adhered to, and they can meet even the most stringent criteria of the standard regarding the resistance of windows and doors against burglary. Legislative resistance classes (RC1, RC2, and the highest RC3) indicate how long a window or door can withstand an attempt at forced entry using various types of tools. If such an attempt lasts several minutes, many perpetrators will abandon their efforts out of fear of being caught. Therefore, the higher the resistance class, the higher the protection against entry. Police experts recommend at least class RC2 for private homes.

In conclusion, it should be noted that no matter how secure a window is, it is never safe if left open for ventilation or micro-ventilation. Only a closed window can fulfill all security expectations.

Practical Example: At the open days of the company WELL OKNA, visitors had the opportunity to forcibly overcome a plastic window in security class RC2. This class is defined such that an occasional perpetrator attempts to break into a locked space using simple tools (screwdriver, pliers, and wedges). Products in this resistance class provide up to 3 minutes of protection against an attempted forced entry. The window from WELL OKNA, combining Roto fittings, AGC safety glass, Schüco Corona SI 82 profile, and a Schüco locking handle successfully withstood a 20-minute siege, after which the testing was concluded. None of the visitors could open the window with crowbars and hammers. Clear signs of prying were visible on the plastic profiles, and the glass was broken. However, the window profiles did not crack, and the safety glass, which was difficult to break, did not shatter. In real life, no perpetrator would likely remain at an attempted entry for such a long time, as it would significantly draw attention to themselves.

A short illustrative video on the safety of plastic windows from the Plzeň processor WELL OKNA can be found at the link HERE. For more information, visit the websites www.wellokna.cz and www.schueco.cz.