Polycarbonate burglar bars have become a winner in South Africa. They are an extremely popular form of window protection in secure estates in particular. You’ll find polycarbonate burglar bars fitted to windows in estate homes from Cape Town to Kimberley and everywhere in between. Let’s look at why these clear burglar bars are in demand.
1. Invisible Burglar Bars
Polycarbonate bars are clear and virtually invisible. They are hardly noticeable from inside or outside the home. This is an important feature for people living in secure estates, because highly visible burglar proofing is usually banned in housing estates.
This is because one of the attractions of secure estates is that protection from threats is taken care of by estate management. Security measures are around the edges of the estate rather than inside each home. There is no need to clutter up doors and windows with burglar proofing. Thieves can’t get past the guarded gate or over the electrified fencing.
So why would you need polycarbonate bars on your windows? The many reasons include the following:
- To keep monkeys or baboons out of the house.
- To stop petty theft through unprotected windows.
- To stop toddlers from climbing out of windows and hurting themselves.
Invisible burglar bars like Trellidor polycarbonate bars are usually acceptable in secure estates because they can’t be seen. They don’t detract from the attractions of the home designs. And they don’t make the estate look as if it isn’t safe enough.
So there is no longer any need to put up with monkey raids and messed up kitchens. Or risk-taking teenagers pinching a wallet through an open window. Polycarbonate bars will stop them all without cluttering up your view.
2. Priced Right
Polycarbonate burglar bars prices are another game changer in physical security barriers. Homes in secure estates don’t usually require high strength, costly door and window barriers to protect residents. The security provided by the estate management is the main source of protection. So reasonably priced burglar bars are perfectly adequate for the windows.
Polycarbonate bars are very affordable. This includes fully framed designs like Trellidor Poly Guard. They stop intruders of all kinds from getting into your secure estate home but without a huge financial outlay. This means that you don’t have to choose to protect only a few strategic windows due to budget constraints. You can purchase polycarbonate bars for them all and get wrap-around security.
3. Neat and Strong Installation
Most see-through burglar bar products on the market are simply strips of polycarbonate. Each strip is attached to the window frame. The spacing between the strips is decided on by whoever is fitting them. The point of attachment on the window frame can become messy. Plus, the installation may be weak, with the bars simple to pull out.
Trellidor took their version of this product a big step further and it has changed the way people view it. With Poly Guard, the strips of polycarbonate are fitted into a separate aluminium frame, not directly onto the window frame.
This full, four-sided frame construction has several benefits:
- The frame makes the polycarbonate bar installation stronger than other designs.
- The burglar bars are harder to break through than other types of polycarbonate fitting.
- The frame is attached to the wall surrounding the window, so the window frames are not damaged in any way.
- This type of installation adds strength to the unit.
- The installation is neat and attractive, adding value to the property.
4. Pitched at the Right Strength
In the right location, polycarbonate burglar bars are a good solution to creating a safer home. They are made from an engineering grade thermoplastic with a high impact resistance. The bars do not chip or crack easily.
The bars don’t burn either. The urban legend of criminals burning them to get into a home is fiction. Polycarbonate thermoplastic is stable under intense temperatures of up to 140°C. At this extreme temperature, it melts but does not sustain the flame and does not burn or break. It just softens and remoulds itself.
So Poly Guard has proven its worth in secure estates. People living in these areas are not looking for certified, high-strength metal burglar bars that literally stop criminals in their tracks. There are plenty of security measures around these properties to keep crime out. What residents in enclosed communities look for is a really good deterrent to opportunistic thieves, monkeys and baboons. Poly Guard for windows is the perfect solution.
5. Long Lifespan
The South African climate can be hard on burglar bars. This is particularly true if the home is in a coastal secure estate. Rust and corrosion can weaken burglar bars and shorten their lifespan. The result is another expensive financial outlay to replace them for protection.
Poly Guard polycarbonate bars, however, are highly resistant to UV light. They do not rust, corrode, or deteriorate, and don’t warp easily. Plus, they don’t discolour or go yellow in harsh sunlight.
The aluminium frame that holds the polycarbonate bars is made from aluminium. Aluminium doesn’t rust but it can corrode. The Poly Guard frame is treated in the factory to prevent corrosion. Then the frame is powder coated to further protect the surface from weather and air pollution.
If kept clean, Poly Guard burglar bars will provide many years of service. They are easy to clean with a soft cotton cloth and a premium quality (salt free) car wash liquid, mixed with water according to the manufacturer’s directions. Dry the unit with a soft cotton cloth or chamois.
Never use abrasive materials to wipe down or clean the polycarbonate slats. Detergent or solvent based cleaners could reduce the expected life of the product. These include scouring agents, dishwashing liquids, washing powders and thinners.
These are just five of the reasons Poly Guard can be found in estate homes around the country. They have been installed in eco-estates, golf estates, suburban secure complexes, developments in game reserves, and waterside complexes. Trellidor framed polycarbonate bar units are custom-made for each window, so contact your nearest Trellidor outlet for a quote.
