No one thinks about maintenance when they get burglar bars installed to stop intruders from breaking into their homes through their windows. But like all household fittings, window security does require upkeep if they are to keep doing their job of protecting people from crime. Cottage Guard is a high-quality burglar bar, designed to be low maintenance and long-lasting.
What could go wrong with burglar bars?
The types of maintenance-related problems that occur with poorly made burglar bars designs are:
- Over the years the fixings become loose, making the burglar bars easy to remove for burglars to get inside.
- Poor quality burglar bars are weakened over time by rust or corrosion, so criminals are able to kick them out of the window reveal so that they can get into the home through an open window.
- Low quality paint or powder coating makes the metal underneath vulnerable to rust or corrosion.
- This type of surface also starts to look very tatty over time, bringing down the home’s appearance.
- If the burglar bars have not been custom-made for the windows, they don’t fit properly and have weak points that make them simple to remove using readily available tools like a crowbar.
- Burglar bars in coastal homes can deteriorate very quickly due to the corrosive sea air. This reduces their strength under attack.
- Poorly made burglar bars have a very short lifespan and could cost you more in the end if you have to replace them.
Why Cottage Guard is low maintenance and long lasting
Trellidor Cottage Guard burglar bars have many features that make them low maintenance and long lasting.
Here are four cottage guard benefits that make them really worth the investment:
- Custom-made to last a long time
All cottage guard burglar bars for windows are made-to-measure. They fit snugly into the window space, with no big gaps for criminals to make use of when they’re trying to break in.
This is done by making sure the Cottage Guard window security matches cottage pane windows perfectly. This means that the gap sizes will be the same as the cottage pane windows, so you can’t see the Cottage Guard at all.
Trellidor Cottage Guard can be made for any other type of window too. It creates a cottage pane effect and is immensely strong, excellent for high crime risk windows.
The window space that needs to be protected is measured by the Trellidor sales consultant, who places the order for your custom-designed Cottage Guard burglar bars. They are made in the factory according to these measurements. Then they are fitted by a trained technician for a neat, professional installation.
- Pre-treated against corrosion for a lifetime of low maintenance
One of the benefits of Trellidor Cottage Guard is the way it is made. It is manufactured using square aluminium tubing reinforced with a steel threaded rod through the centre of each tube. High grade aluminium is a low maintenance material that requires minimal cleaning to keep it free from corrosion.
All Trellidor security barriers are manufactured at the ISO audited factory in Durban, so the quality control system is first class. Every Cottage Guard unit is thoroughly checked before it leaves the factory to make sure it is made to the high standards expected of a Trellidor product.
The manufacturing process includes a pre-treatment for enhanced corrosion and UV resistance before undergoing powder coating. This helps to retain the quality finish and increases the lifespan of the barrier, making them suitable for both coastal and inland conditions.
The high-quality finish helps to maintain the reliability of the Cottage Guard burglar bars. It is resistant to scratching, chipping, and wearing; easy to clean; and resistant to UV, so it will not discolour due to exposure to UV rays.
But it is important to remember that ‘low maintenance’ is not the same as ‘no maintenance.’ Burglar bars of all types, including Cottage Guard, need regular cleaning to keep them in good working order.
Find out more about how to clean Cottage Guard burglar bars and other window security here
- Fully framed to give years of service
One of the major benefits of Trellidor Cottage Guard is that it is fully framed. Fully framed window security is stronger than unframed or semi-framed. They last longer because they are stronger.
The neatly framed edges make the burglar bars to clean and maintain with a simple wipe using the right type of cloth and cleaning liquid. This prevents the high-quality outer surface from deteriorating and weakening.
Many burglar bar designs are not fully framed. This is to save on material costs and make them cheaper for people to buy. But it also makes them easier to break through for robbers. You’ll find yourself having to replace cheap, weak burglar bars far earlier than expected. They will need a lot more maintenance to keep them in good enough condition to provide protection from home invaders.
- Specialised installation for long lasting window security
If a home addition is properly carried out, it will be far more reliable than an amateur job. It will last longer, require less maintenance, and give you years of service. All Trellidor burglar bars are installed by expert technicians to make sure they fit perfectly and are the strongest they can be under attack.
Cottage Guard units are fixed in place next to the window without any welding. This means that there are no weak points for corrosion to set in and cause the burglar bar to deteriorate. This reduces maintenance and ensures that the burglar bars are able to protect you when needed.
One of the unique Trellidor Cottage Guard features is that these burglar bars are fixed into the substrate surrounding the window. This increases their strength and resistant to attack, making them stronger than most other burglar bar designs.
The initial cost of installing Trellidor Cottage Guard burglar bars may be higher than other burglar guards, but for the four reasons outlined above, they’ll be the best investment you’ll ever need. With minimal but essential maintenance, they will last far longer than any similar window security.
