Over the last few years, home security – not cybersecurity, but the more ‘old-school’ kind of security, against someone physically breaking into the home – isn’t something that many of us will have necessarily spent a lot of time thinking about.
After all, the COVID-19 pandemic led to great numbers of people working from home, and it was widely reported that burglary levels dropped amid the various lockdowns. Such has been the rise of the ‘hybrid office’ model, that you might still be doing a decent amount of home working now.
But the very fact that you may still be spending a lot of time at home, might have also led you to reconsider how optimal your home security arrangements truly are. You might have read statistics like those cited by the personal finance site NimbleFins, suggesting that about one in every 100 homes in the UK is still burgled every year. And yes, that figure may be lower than it would have once been, but it’s still a frighteningly high percentage for some of us.
What Role Do Window Shutters Have in Home Security?
At this point, you might be thinking, “OK, I do want to make my home more secure – but do window shutters have any part to play in that?”
It’s true that when most of us consider putting in place improved home security measures, we’re probably likelier to think about something like a CCTV system or an upgraded burglar alarm, than a set of window shutters. Even if you’re specifically looking to make your windows less of a security risk, you might first think of having some robust steel grilles installed.
But this brings us to one of the problems with such a solution as window grilles: they can look more than a little unsightly. Window shutters, on the other hand – whether you invest in something like our waterproof shutters, full-height shutters, or even Tier on Tier shutters – routinely look elegant and chic.
And the great news is, when you choose a reputable supplier of window shutters, they won’t necessarily be ‘just a pretty face’. That’s because your new window shutters can meaningfully contribute to security in your abode, in the following ways:
Blackout shutter blinds are designed to allow more natural light to enter your room when they are open, at the same time as giving you greater control over the light – including the option to completely shut out the light if needed or desired.
- Providing another physical barrier to a would-be intruder: The fact is, burglars tend to be opportunists – they don’t want to have to fight past one physical obstruction after another. Window shutters provide a highly visible physical barrier, and the typical burglar won’t be able to tell, just by looking at your shutters, whether it would be easy to get past that obstruction. There’s a good chance that they will simply look for an alternative property to target instead.
- Being genuinely tough and durable: If the above point addresses the perception a would-be burglar might have of how difficult your home would be to break into, this point focuses on what might happen if the aspiring intruder decides to ‘have a go’ anyway. Consider our dedicated waterproof window shutters, for instance. Designed for typically ‘wet’ environments such as kitchens and bathrooms, they look like stylish traditional wooden shutters, but they’re actually made from high-grade ABS and incorporate stainless steel hardware. So, with these shutters fitted, an ambitious miscreant would have a hard time getting through your window very quickly, even if they did try.
- Giving you enhanced control over your privacy: One of the most commonly repeated bits of home security advice is to ‘keep valuables out of sight’ – and window shutters can be brilliant for ensuring exactly that. A burglar is probably much less likely to try to target your property in the first place, if they don’t see that jewellery or pricey-looking laptop just sat there on the other side of the window. And the louvres of shutters can be easily and quickly moved in order to control your privacy, at any time of the day or night. Don’t forget specialised solutions such as our Café Style shutters, which would enable you to allow a lot of natural light into your home and enjoy excellent privacy, at the same time.
Now, we would never suggest that window shutters should be your only home security measure. However, when you combine them with other elements such as the aforementioned burglar alarm and perhaps even a CCTV system, you could help significantly bolster the security of your abode.
Contact Shuttertec today to book your appointment, and we will talk you through your options to help ensure you only invest in the window shutters that best fit your complete set of needs.