December 22, 2006, Newsletter Issue #20: Glass Bricks Offer Protection and Appeal

Tip of the Week

Extra windows and glass panels in front doorways are attractive features. They let in natural light, which makes your home an inviting place.

But extra glass windows and glass panels also can be an invitation to burglars. Glass in or around the front door can make it easier for an intruder to gain entry. The intruder can break the glass and reach in to unlock the deadbolt on your door.

Before you wall off windows and turn your home into a fortress, consider some easier options:

Install a two-sided deadbolt that requires a key to unlock either side. But there is a drawback: If there's a fire at your home, your family may be at greater risk. It takes more time to find a key and unlock the door to get out.Use reinforced glass in the entryway. Reinforced glass with wire inside keeps intruders out when the glass breaks. But it is not that attractive. Glass bricks, on the other hand, are appealing and let natural light in. They also are thick and hard to penetrate. Use glass bricks in highly visible parts of your home and wire-embedded glass for basement windows.Add home security, which offers a high level of customized protection and no drawbacks. Products include glass break detectors, motion detectors, and contact sensors that activate when a door or window opens.

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