It is important to read the terms and conditions of any home insurance policy before you sign it, so that you know exactly what is required to be covered in the event of a burglary. Your insurance provider may, for example, specify the maximum size of burglar bar openings. Trellidor Cottage Guard is custom-made to comply with these sizes to make sure they fit the insurance specifications.
The Cottage Guard design is fully framed and manufactured from square aluminium tubing, reinforced with an M6 threaded mild steel bar through the centre of each tube with a joining cruciform. The gap sizes can be customised to match cottage pane windows so that the burglar proofing is unnoticeable.
If the window cottage panes are large, however, matching cottage guard burglar bars may not comply with insurance specifications. The gaps will be large enough for burglars to squeeze through. Smaller gaps provide a higher level of security, so some insurance companies require the spaces are made to a maximum of 280mm x 230mm.
Trellidor sales consultants will design the Cottage Guard burglar bars to comply with the gap sizes specified by your insurance company, so it is advisable to check on this before getting a quote.
Gap sizes, however, may not be the only insurance specification for burglar proofing. Here are some points to consider before you purchase burglar bars for your window security.
Insurance companies may require some or all of the following to reduce your risk of a break-in by burglars:
- An internal fit
This means that the burglar bars, whether they are the Trellidor Cottage Guard design or another style of window security, are fitted inside the home, not on the outside of the windows.
An internal fit makes it harder for burglars to get to the burglar bars and try to break through them. They have to smash the window glass first, which may set off the burglar alarm if there is one.
Breaking through glass and then metal burglar bars makes noise and attracts attention. Burglars generally try to avoid this, so they are less likely to try to get into a well-protected home.
Burglar bars fitted externally, meaning on the outside of windows, can be pulled out or levered off using a crowbar or some other type of tool. The window glass is easy to get to and break once the burglar bars have been removed from the wall.
Trellidor Cottage Guard burglar bars are fitted to the inside of windows, making them less accessible to burglars and a better insurance risk.
- Fixed into the brickwork
It is preferable to attach the window security to the brickwork around the window, not fixed into the window frame. Many burglar bar designs are screwed or rivetted into the window frame. This is not a strong method of installation because burglars can easily kick or punch the burglar bars off the window and gain access to the home.
Window security fitted into the surrounding brickwork is stronger and more able to stand up to an attack by burglars. The burglar bars can be fitted either face-on or in the window reveal if there is enough space, but it must be inside the home.
Trellidor Cottage Guard features several advantages over other burglar bars in terms of strength. It has a four-sided frame; this frame is fitted to the brickwork; and this is done using high quality fixings. The frame and the fixing system add to the strength of these burglar bars, which provides reliable protection against a break-in.
- Rust proof
Rusted burglar bars are weak burglar bars. They don’t require much effort to break through, making the home vulnerable to a break-in. This makes the property a higher risk in terms of insurance.
The Trellidor Cottage Guard manufacturing process includes a treatment that enhances the corrosion and UV resistance of this burglar bar design. After this treatment, a high-quality powder coating is applied to further protect the burglar bars against corrosion and rust. The units are installed without welding, so there are no weak points for corrosion to set in.
This attention to anti-corrosion processes help to retain the strength of Cottage Guard and it is better protected against rust or corrosion. Because of this, these burglar bars can be safely fitted to both coastal and inland homes for protection against burglary through windows.
Trellidor Cottage Guard features and benefits
The Trellidor Cottage Guard design has several features and benefits, apart from the ones relating to insurance specifications already mentioned above. These features make them an excellent choice for window security.
- Trellidor Cottage Guard is a premium quality burglar bar system that has few rivals on the market in terms of strength.
- This product can be used to create a cottage pane effect if installed to protect large and vulnerable panes of glass.
- They are perfectly suited to protect cottage pane windows.
- Because Trellidor Cottage Guard is so strong it is ideal for ground floor windows in a multistoried building.
- It is an excellent choice for any window with a view because this burglar proofing is not as cluttered as conventional burglar bars.
- Cottage Guard is not just for homes. It is a safe choice for commercial buildings that need dependable window protection, particularly if security is a condition of the insurance policy.
