Home is where we are all supposed to feel safe and sound. Keeping our homes protected is one of the most important things to any homeowner. While some tragedies and unfortunate situations are unavoidable, or will happen regardless of installed safety devices, there are still steps a person can take to further ensure the safety of their home. Some of these devices are things such as fire rated windows, custom steel windows and doors and certain metal window options.
Burglaries
Installing steel doors can help to protect your home from burglaries. An estimated 30% of burglars enter a home through an open or unlocked window or door. A home intrusion is committed every 13 seconds. By learning to lock your doors as well as installing heavy duty residential windows and doors. Using burglar alarms or becoming a member of a security company will also be helpful in either deterring or catching criminals that try to break and enter into your home.
Fire
Fires are often devastating tragedies to any home or family who has the unfortunate luck to face one. Sadly, fires are not a rare occurrence. One home structure fire was reported every 85 seconds in 2013. In total, also in 2013, there were 1,240,000 fires in the United States.
There are certain steps you can take in not just fire proofing your home, but also helping to contain the fire once it has started. Fire rated windows are one of these options. In fire rated windows, the glass defends against the spread of smoke and flames. They also block the transfer of radiant and conductive heat. Steel window manufacturers make fire rated windows, which often even have thinner sight lines, which allow more light to enter your living space.
Cost Effective and Eco-Friendly
Typically, 15% to 22% of heat loss occurs through the windows. When a window is manufactured with low-e coatings they may cost around 10% to 15% more than regular windows, but ultimately they reduce energy loss by as much as 30% to 50% and save you money in the long run. You can save anywhere from $126 to $465 a year by replacing standard, single-pane windows with Energy Star certified windows. South facing windows can effectively reduce conductive heat transfer when set up properly. The south facing windows should have a solar heat gain coefficient of greater than 0.6 to maximize solar heat gain during the winter and a U-factor of 0.35 or less to reduce conductive heat transfer. By utilizing tips such as these and installing proper windows and other equipment around your house you will be able to save your household substantial amounts of money as well as have better heating and cooling.
