While one of the most common reasons homeowners in Florida get impact windows is to protect their homes from hurricanes (and to comply with Florida Building Code requirements), that isn’t the only reason someone might want a tough, difficult-to-shatter window. Crime prevention is another reason why many homeowners, even ones who don’t live in a wind-borne debris region, might opt to get what they assume are burglary proof windows.
But, are impact windows 100% ‘burglary-proof’? What makes a window more or less resistant to forced entry by would-be criminals? How much risk does the average family in Florida face?
Let’s answer these questions and add some suggestions for what to do to better protect your home from criminals:
Are Impact Windows Also Burglary Proof Windows?
So, the answer to the question is “not quite.” Impact windows are going to be leagues better at stopping criminals than non-impact windows. After all, a child with a rock can effectively circumvent a non-impact window in less than ten seconds.
However, while impact windows are incredibly resistant to the most common kind of forced entry method (breaking the glass and undoing the window locks), they aren’t so impervious that the term “burglary proof windows” should be applied to them. It would be more accurate to say that they’re ‘burglary-resistant’ rather than ‘burglary-proof.’
Many crooks would give up well before they could get through an impact window, especially a well-made one, but a sufficiently-determined and well-equipped burglar with the right skills could circumvent even the strongest impact window… eventually.
Though, that would have to be one skilled burglar with all of the right tools. They won’t be getting in with just a baseball bat and a good swing:
In this video, you can see that, despite repeated blows, the window doesn’t fail outright. The PVB interlayer between the two panes of glass continues to adhere to the glass, keeping the broken pieces of glass in place and preserving the seal of the home despite repeated strong blows with a metal bat.
In fact, the first blow didn’t produce any visible damage. It wasn’t until several more strikes were made that the window showed any signs of damage at all. And, even with over a minute and a half of baseball bat strikes, the window glass may be damaged and the interior grid may be bent out of shape, but the window held.
This example demonstrates the usefulness of impact windows for deterring low-skill break in attempts by casual criminals looking for an easy way into your home.
How Big a Problem Is Burglary In Florida?
On a per-capita basis, Florida is actually safer than most other states when it comes to burglary rate. According to Consumer Affairs, the rate of burglaries per 100k residents in Florida is 153.
To put that into perspective, let’s compare our burglary rate to the rate of burglaries in New Mexico, which was estimated at 500 per 100k residents in that state and the rate of burglaries in New Hampshire (48 per 100k residents). NM has the highest rate of burglaries, while NH has the lowest.
So, you’re about 30% as likely to be subjected to a burglary as someone living in New Mexico, but about three times as likely to experience a burglary as someone living in New Hampshire.
Oddly enough, those living in non-metropolitan areas might be at a higher risk of burglary than those living in large metropolitan areas, despite more incidents taking place in cities compared to smaller towns overall. People living in metropolitan counties experienced burglaries at a rate of 142.8 per 100k residents compared to 165.6 incidents per 100k residents in nonmetropolitan counties.
The increase in total incidents can be attributed to larger populations, but the rate is lower since 2,900 burglaries in a city of 419,600+ people doesn’t move the needle as much as 100 burglaries in a town of just 15,000 or so people. To simplify the math, if 100 burglaries happen in a city of 100k people, that’s a 0.1% burglary rate, but if 100 burglaries happen in a town of 1,000 people, that’s a 10% burglary rate.
So, if you live in a more rural area of Florida outside of Tampa or another one of the big cities, you might actually be at a higher risk of burglary than if you were in Tampa, despite there being way more burglaries happening in the city!
Why Don’t Impact Windows Stop All Burglars?
Impact windows may be tough, but their primary purpose is to keep out Mother Nature, not a skilled and focused attack by a person.
While they are incredibly resistant to breaking from impacts with the kinds of tools most crooks might carry (bats, crowbars, etc.), they aren’t going to stop someone who knows what they’re doing and is carrying specialized tools for getting past windows.
People who have in-depth knowledge about how windows are constructed and their weak points may be able to breach windows. In fact, firefighters often use specialized tools to ‘defeat’ impact glass.
The Miami-Dade County Fire Rescue crew has a training video that talks about their procedure for getting past impact glass:
Their process is rather involved. It starts with using a Halligan tool (a multipurpose tool with a pointed pick head, bladed head (adz), and a forklike claw attachment. The pick is used to penetrate the top layer of glass, then using the dull, flat side to score the glass.
An alternative method involves two people using an axe and a sledgehammer in combination to score the glass.
Both methods are preparatory work for the next part: cutting the glass out of the frame. Which can involve using power tools like a circular saw, reciprocating saw, or a chainsaw. No impact window can stand up to such sustained
Most break-in attempts aren’t going to use such loud tools, but it can be argued that the windows aren’t burglary-proof, since it’s technically possible to get past the glass with power tools.
How Can I Burglar-Proof My Windows?
A good first step is to get some impact windows. While not perfect protection, they can do a lot to deter casual break-in attempts. Many would-be break-in artists, when confronted with windows they can’t smash using a bat or crowbar, will simply give up after a minute or two of trying to get inside.
For a criminal, time is vital. They want to get in, take as many valuables as possible, and get out with as little risk of getting caught as possible. If they have to spend several minutes loudly smashing glass, they’re more likely to give up than persist, because every strike is a chance of someone noticing them and calling the police (or a police patrol catching them in the act without a call).
Some other way to burglar-proof your home’s windows include:
- Mounting surveillance cameras that monitor your windows and main entryways. As stated before, many criminals, especially those who are more sophisticated, prefer to minimize risk from their criminal acts. Surveillance cameras that can capture their faces, body type, clothing, and how they approached the home massively increase their risk of being identified and caught—especially if the camera is hooked up to a cloud video storage platform. The sight of a camera may deter thieves from trying anything.
- Set up alarm systems that can detect the sound of breaking windows. While they won’t keep a determined intruder from breaking your window in the first place, an alarm system that triggers when a window is forcibly opened or when it detects the sound of breaking glass can be a massive deterrent. It puts pressure on the burglars to leave as quickly as possible before local police units respond to the alarm.
- Opt for reinforced sash locks, if possible. If forced entry is a concern, consider purchasing upgraded sash locks for your operable windows. Some manufacturers offer forced entry-resistant hardware by default on impact windows, but it’s always worth asking if there are upgrades available if home security is a key concern.
- Consider casement or awning-style windows. Casement and awning style windows often have multi-point locking systems and seal tight to make it more difficult to force open from the outside.
Each of these options can help reduce the risk of a burglar successfully entering your home through a window. However, no plan is foolproof. There is always a risk that, regardless of how well you protect your home’s windows, a burglar might find some other way into your home.
For these occasions, it’s important to keep your homeowner’s insurance up to date and valid, as it will be the best way to get reimbursed for any damage that happens during a break-in.
What Should I Do If My Home Is Burglarized?
If you ever experience a burglary, be sure to do the following:
- If the perpetrator is in the home at the same time as you, prioritize your family’s safety above all else. Lock yourself in a secure room and barricade the entry. If you have to hide in your home, be sure to stay as quiet as possible (put your phone on silent mode to avoid giving your position away) and avoid confronting the intruders unless you have no other choice. Alternatively, evacuate to a nearby safe area, such as a trusted neighbor’s home.
- Call the police. Dial 911 as soon as you’re in a safe area or have concealed yourself. Give the operator your name, address, and details about the intruder or intruders. Key details to share include estimated location in your home, whether or not they’re armed, general description of each intruder, and where they’re heading if they start moving.
- Wait for an all-clear. Stay hidden or out of your home until the police arrive and the emergency dispatcher confirms that it is safe to come out.
- Don’t touch anything. As much as you’ll probably want to clean up the mess and take inventory, try not to touch anything. It will be important to preserve the crime scene and the evidence as much as possible to help the police complete their investigation to catch the burglars.
- File a police report. Be sure to get detailed records from the police to ensure that you have paperwork for your insurance claim. Also, try to provide officers with copies of any surveillance footage you have. After the investigation is over, take your own photographs of your home and any damage to it for use later.
- Freeze your credit/debit cards and linked bank accounts. If sensitive documents, checks, or bank statements were stolen, the burglars might attempt to commit identity theft. Freezing your accounts or having your bank change your account information to render any stolen cards or checks invalid can help you avoid fraudulent charges. It can also help to contact major credit bureaus to put a fraud alert on your credit report.
- Contact your insurer. Take the police report and any other documents you may have related to the burglary and contact your insurer to file a claim against your homeowner’s insurance policy. Be sure to give them as comprehensive a list of your stolen/damaged items as possible.
Need Impact Windows to Help Burglar-Proof Your Home?
If you need strong windows with expert installation that maximizes their resistance to would-be break-in artists, consult the experts at Karoly Windows & Doors!
We’ll send an impact window expert out to your home for a free in-person consultation where we go over your impact window options and help you find the best solution for your home security, energy efficiency, and hurricane resistance concerns!
Reach out today to get your free impact window consultation as soon as possible!
