Window security - ideas needed

[newbiee]

I have a ground floor bedroom window (with shutters) that opens onto the road (a quiet country road, but one that does get a fair bit of use).  The window is low - one could step right over the threshold into the room with no difficulty.

I would like the option of having the windows open to air out the room with the security to prevent somebody stepping into the house and helping themselves to my precious things!     ... but ..... I have two cats and I need to ensure they can't get out onto the road.   So bars aren't aren't a good option for me.  Does anybody have any suggestions? 

What would be absolutly perfect is some kind of grille (with no cat sized holes in it!) ... that I can lock and unlock ... giving me the option of having the windows open without the cats getting out, and also another fire escape should it ever be needed.

Or, second best would be a permenant grille, but without spaces for the cats to get out.

Tall order ... but has anybody seen anything that might do the trick.

Thanks [:D]

[Chas]

We use these entrebailleurs on all our doors and windows. can be fitted with a small padlock if required and the smallest  opening would probably stop the cat.

http://www.manutan.fr/entrebailleurs-de-confort_MDL1322-24.html?WT.mc_id=Shopzilla_equipement-securisation-et-entretien-des-locaux

[newbiee]

Hi Chas ... how strong are they?  They look like one good kick would open the window.

Cheers [:)]

[Chas]

Like many other similar items they are mainly a deterrent. Obviously not as strong as a grill and a good kick would probably do the trick, but we have them on roadside windows and are happy enough to leave the house with them open. Depends on your location I suppose

[freddy]

what about going with standard bars for the people security and retractable insect screen thingy to prevent the cat getting out?

[cassis]

[quote user="newbiee"]

Hi Chas ... how strong are they?  They look like one good kick would open the window.

Cheers [:)]

[/quote]

[quote user="Chas"]Like many other similar items they are mainly a

deterrent. Obviously not as strong as a grill and a good kick would

probably do the trick, but we have them on roadside windows and are

happy enough to leave the house with them open. Depends on your

location I suppose[/quote]

Plus the same site has security versions.

http://www.manutan.fr/entrebailleur-en-acier_MDL11712690019510.html

Not as pretty as the "confort" ones, though.

[Chancer]

When you say with shutters do you mean wooden ones?

If so they are designed to do exactly as you require being opened and fixed shut from inside the piéce.

No need to reinvent the wheel [:)]

[newbiee]

Thanks for all of the replies and ideas folks.

JR - not sure what you mean?  If you re-read my post you'll see that what I'm looking for is security (for myself and my cats) when the shutters are open.  When they are closed they provide ample security, but that's not my issue.

 

Cheers folks

[Chancer]

Sorry for the confusion.

You said that you wanted the option of having the windows open to air the room with security to prevent anyone entering the room, which is exactly what wooden shutters are used for most of the time.

There are concertina type removable type window grilles available in the security industry in the UK, I have fitted several myself but they were very expensive, I doubt that they are available here given the profusion of shutters.

Below is a French supplier of security products that I used to use, they are unusually for a French company very market led and had been producing an English mail order catalogue for years, most suppliers still dont have a web_site.

If they dont have what you are looking for I think that it is safe to say that you wont find it in France

www.eclats-antivols.fr/

Or finally you could visit a local ferronniér.

[JohnRoss]

What I have done is to fit to an upstairs window a small vertical bolt which goes down into the windowsill on one of the two inward opening windows, the one without the handle. The windows are opened and the one with the handle is closed again and secured by turning the handle so the locking mechanism holds it shut top and bottom. The window with the bolt is secured with enough space to let air in but not a cat out. I am assuming your windows are of this type. We did this as we used to have the hooky thing but it blew open and the cat almost launched himself into space. On a ground floor I would also fit a grill on the outside to keep people out. It would have to be unlockable if you wanted a fire exit. You can get individual electronic window alarms but there has to be someone within earshot to be effective so in many cases not of much use!................................JohnRoss

[giantpanda]

Hi!

As regards window security, many will be quite surprised when they look at their Multirisques Habitation.

In quite some cases, you are only insured if the shutters are shut.*

And that applies also when the house is empty for a set number of hours...

So will will be better off with a permanent grille - your cats will hardly have problems.

Yours

giantpanda

* I quite appreciate that when you are on holiday, with shutters constantly closed, it can be considered as an invitation to thieves.But that is how the insurances work.

[JohnRoss]

I checked with my insurance company when we moved in as I had heard this and we found we had shutters on only some of our downstairs windows. Groupama told us that they did not require these but we had to ensure that windows were shut and outside doors locked when we were out. It would be worth checking with individual insurance companies as they clearly operate under different rules about security. I have since installed a DIY alarm, two break-ins in our area during the last twelve months and  both times targets were properties known not to have someone in residence at the time, one of these was a small gite complex having an English owner. Alarms may produce a startle effect but are not, as I said before, of great use if no-one hears it and takes some action. Those linked, at expense, to telephone numbers are more effective. I think PIR outside security lights help at night as do visible siren/bell boxes with flashing lights. We have had the plastic bag hung on the gate, a variation of the old shoe tossed on the driveway, but the gendarmes were not that interested but agreed that it was a trick used by would be thieves to see if anyone was in residence, if the object disappeared within 24 hrs then someone must be living there...............................JohnRoss