When someone mentions "Windows Security" the first thing I think about is a computer. Of course there are other windows to worry about, those on your house! I recently improved my home windows security and it was a snap. I thought I would pass along some tips. The good news is it is cheap, easy to do and no downloads are required.

Like most houses in Mt. Airy, my house has 95 year old wood double hung windows. I bought a few little gadgets to make it much less convenient for anyone to enter our house by window.

First, I installed what are called vent locks. My neighbor has these and I think they are a great idea. Vent locks will protect your windows even while letting you leave them open (a little). See the photo to the left. Vent locks are pretty simple in function and it only takes three screws to make the whole thing work. You install the larger section on your top sash (window) about 6" above the lower sash. There is a pin that slides back and forth from left to right. When the pin is in position over the the lower sash, you cannot open the window more than 6". If you want to open the window all the way, slide the pin out of the way. The little brass plate is screwed on the lower sash so the pin on the upper shaft won't chew up the wood. I bought these at Kilians for about $2.50 each (in fashionable brass at that). I installed them on 7 windows in less than an hour.

Second, I installed window pins. Cost, about $1.50 each. Many people have seen or used these. You need to drill a 1/4" inch hole into (but not through)  your window where the lower and upper sash meet (when closed), then screw in the little mount with two screws of which one holds the chain for the pin. Once installed, you just push the pin in the hole, and turn it. I installed 7 of these, but put them on the opposite side of the window of the vent lock. Why? Well, if someone goes to all the trouble of breaking my storm window or screen, then jimmying the window latch, then breaking a pane in the window to take out the pin or vent lock, now they have to break yet another pane to get to either the vent lock or the pin. I'm betting that is enough to frustrate a thief or cause enough commotion to bring some attention (I also have an alarm with motion sensors and a glass break sensor, but why let it get that far?).

Third, I just discovered there is such a thing as a "jimmy proof" window latch. I found these on the web, right on Kilian's web site. See this link: http://www.kilianhardware.com/jimwinlocbra.html, but didn't notice them in the store! Alas, last year I replaced every single window latch in our house with the old style brass jimmy-able latches! Maybe I can melt them down and make new house numbers? These were a little pricey at about $8.00 each in brass, but that isn't too much more than the standard less secure brass latch.

As you can see there are a lot of low cost things you can do to make your windows more secure. The break ins in our neighborhood last summer were through windows either left open or via jimmy'ed window latches. The three window gadgets described here would probably have thwarted those break ins.

If you can use a drill and a screw driver, you can do this all yourself. If you aren't handy, there are a few handy men around the neighborhood who could probably be hired to do this type of thing. Either way, just a few bucks can make your house safer. Of course the best crooks can get through anything, but why make it easy for them?