The weakest link in the safety chain are almost always the doors and especially the windows. The good news: The worst criminal energy regularly and reliably fails against safety windows with the safest safety glass in the world. Worldwide and for many decades.
Electronic systems, such as alarm systems or security cameras, can supplement this factual-mechanical burglary protection, but it cannot replace it - this is also officially confirmed by police experts. The longer the burglar is held off, the safer is your home.
So-called “armored glass windows” are obsolete. RC2 to RC6 windows with the safest safety glass in the world - from SILATEC - are significantly safer. These safety solutions can be found at the G7 and G20 summits, in the most important art museums, jewelers, embassies and mansions. The window frames and doors are classified into resistance classes: From RC1 with the lowest to RC6 with the safest protection (“RC” is the abbreviation of “Resistance Class”).
The practical applications show: RC2 windows offer a solid basic protection. RC3 and RC4 windows provide effective safety, we recommend them most often for private homes. RC1 windows offer basically no burglary protection, RC5 and RC6 windows are rather over-dimensioned for private homes.
Zero burglary protection,
not recommended
Basic recommendation for mansions with a resistance time of about one to three minutes against amateur culprits with SILATEC P6B glass.
Our recommendation for an effective burglary protection in mansions: about five minutes resistance against practiced culprits in connection with SILATEC P6B safety glass.
Our recommendation for the perfect burglary protection. About 10 minutes resistance against experienced burglars in connection with SILATEC P8B safety glass.
Normally over-dimensioned for private residences, especially with respect to the economic viability. Approx. 15 minutes resistance time in connection with
Clearly over-dimensioned for private residences, rather for extremely exposed risks such as nuclear power plants. Approx. 20 minutes resistance time in connection with SILATEC P8B glass, also against experienced culprits with powerful electrical tools.
Massive safety windows do not look like massive safety windows. Only you know that your house is a fortress. Because our safety windows can be integrated as easily into the architecture as any “normal” window.
We deliver all forms and colors, historic or in a modern form, as fine and filigree sliding doors or as room enhancing and view opening panorama window, as fixed glazing, turning, swivel-tilt, swing-casement, sliding, escape, roof, lattice or two-leaf French-casement window. Made of metal, wood, metal covered with wood. And in formats with a width of up to eight meters.
| Wood | Aluminum | Steel | |
| Service life | approx. 40-50 years | approx. 60 years | approx. 70 years |
| Maintenance | Every two years: glaze, every five years: varnishing | no maintenance required | no maintenance required (stainless steel) |
| Ecology | renewable raw material | Energy-intense production, but long service life and easy recycle | recycled version can be delivered, longest service life |
| Insulation values | good | good only in combination with wood | good only in combination with supplementary equipment |
| Other benefits | breathable | very weather resistant | Very thin profiles are feasible, very solid even if public is present |
Wood has a warm radiance, it is breathable and it is a sustainable natural raw material. The haptics are organic, second to none. This is also interesting: You can emphasize the architectural statement with a clear texture and grain, or you can select a refined understated variant. However, wood needs frequent maintenance.
An interesting combination of the comfort of wood and the clearness and ease of maintenance of aluminum. A good recommendation in case of an intense weather impact and for inaccessible safety windows - after all, a repainting, for example, on higher floors is very elaborate. We can also customize these safety windows for you: up to a width of eight meters and in all forms and colors that you may desire.
Aluminum has a longer service life than wood; and these safety windows do not need maintenance. Our safety windows made of aluminum are surprisingly light weight, especially in connection with our safety windows with polycarbonate. You can enjoy this every day when opening and closing the windows. And the ecobalance? A relative high amount of energy flows into the production, but our products can be easily recycled.
It enhances your residential living quality once inside and outside become one. Because large format sliding elements open the view and provide access to the outside, you flood your home with light and air. The threshold practically disappears into the floor and you can open or close the large format sliding elements electrically. These large format window fronts can replace entire walls and they are as safe as walls of glass.
The criminal experts reduce it to a clear statement: “First the mechanical burglary protection, then the electronic.” Because electronic equipment such as alarm systems or security cameras can only supplement the mechanical protection provided by safety windows and doors, but the equipment cannot replace it. Because the factual penetration of the building by the culprit can only reliably be prevented by solid safety windows with the correct glass - which means the mechanical protection.
And 15 long minutes expire until the police arrives ... The following must also be considered: A well visible alarm system signals immediately: valuables can be stolen here! However, a recommendable supplement to the mechanical protection are well trained guard dogs: one at the outside and one on the inside is best.
Test standards and resistance classes for safety windows are used for classification and grading. However: The real practical use is decisive. For example, RC2 windows provide a resistance duration of about three minutes. As per test standard. However, in reality they are conquered much faster. Because the culprit will attack the glass as soon as the culprit finds that the frame cannot be overcome. And that is destroyed in ten seconds - if one follows the test standard and installs P4A glass. The standard does not test the glass - for whatever reason.
And: The standard for RC2 safety windows only lists small tools for testing. If the culprit uses a larger tool in a real burglary, then the safety window is immediately open. How does this work for safety windows of the classes RC3 and RC4? The glass is also not tested here. The RC3 safety window must withstand five minutes while the standard P5A glass only withstands 15 seconds. The safety window of class RC4 withstands ten minutes while the standard glass only withstands 30 seconds (conventional P6B).
| SAFE glass | Glass NOT tested | |
SILATEC | RC2 window: Withstands about three minutes according to the standard. However, the specified P4A glass only about ten seconds! | |
SILATEC | RC3 window: Withstands about five minutes according to the standard However, the specified P5A glass only about 15 seconds! | |
SILATEC | RC4 window: Withstands about ten minutes according to the standard However, the specified P6B glass only about 30 seconds! | |
True: The best approach is to plan for safety windows from the beginning. A retrofit for fixed glazing is no problem whatsoever, and swivel-tilt windows can normally be retrofited if the construction year is 1980 or later. Normally we exchange glass and fittings and equip these with a mushroom head lock. Older properties or landmarked buildings can be secured with burglarproof attachment windows. This leaves the existing windows in the original state. We place safety windows in front or behind the existing windows, which means on the inside or on the outside facade.
An individual recommendation depends on the specific risks at the location, the local special circumstances as well as your personal safety requirements. The test standards provide orientation, however, the practical experience is decisive. The local public authorities provide information - or please contact us directly.
| Safety windows | Burglary protection | Safety glass | Applications |
| RC1 windows | no burglary protection | no recommendation | no recommendation |
| RC2 windows | approx. 1 to 3 minutes for amateur burglars | SILATEC P6B | solid basic protection for private residences |
| RC3 windows | about 5 minutes for practiced burglars | SILATEC P6B | effective burglary protection for private residences |
| RC4 windows | approx. 10 minutes in case of experienced burglars | min. SILATEC P6B, better SILATEC P8B | perfect burglary protection for private residences |
| RC5 windows | about 15 minutes for experienced burglars | min. SILATEC P8B | normally over-dimensioned for private residences |
| RC6 windows | about 20 minutes for experienced burglars | min. SILATEC P8B | for extreme risks, e.g. nuclear power plants |
Our prevalent recommendation for private homes and mansions: Safety windows of the classes RC3 and RC4. Not a single “successful” burglary was reported to us if SILATEC P6B or P8B was installed. They represent effective burglary protection.
Our safety windows are used in those places where the safety does not permit relativization: At the G7 or G20 summit, at the most important art museums, jewelers, embassies and mansions. We develop safety solution for the highest resistance classes.
What are the relevant parameters? Opportunity for booty: The higher the booty, the higher the effort. Risk: The longer the burglary lasts, the higher the risk to be caught in the act. Physical condition. (To hit a safety glass for five long minutes with an ax exceed the perseverance of any normal human being.) Risk to be discovered.Visibility of the respective safety window. Escape options.Tools that the burglar uses. And timing: Burglary attempts take place more and more during the day and in vacation homes when you are present - because the prospect for booty is higher.
The test standard can mislead because the glass is actually not tested. Caution: The glass specified by the standard is already destroyed after a few seconds. This is as if one would perform a crash test for a car without testing the airbag.
Safety windows only function with safety glass, type SILATEC P6B or P8B. The table below: Safe glass, safe window.
| Safety glass/resistance time | Glass not tested as per standard/resistance time | Recommended glass/resistance time |
| RC2 window/3 minutes | P4A glass/only 10 seconds! | SILATEC P6B2/5 minutes |
| RC3 window/5 minutes | P5A glass/only 15 seconds! | SILATEC P6B2/5 minutes |
| RC4 window/ten minutes | Traditional P6B glass2/only 30 seconds! | SILATEC P8B/approx. 20 minutes |
| RC5 window/15 minutes | Traditional P7B glass/less than one minute!1 | SILATEC P8B/approx. 20 minutes |
| RC6 window/20 minutes | Traditional P8B glass/only approx. one minute!1 | SILATEC P8B/approx. 20 minutes |
Caution trap:
The standard for RC1-RC4 windows only tests the safety window, not the safety glass! Glass as per the standard is already destroyed after a few seconds! See table above.
Upmarket residences are almost not conceivable without safety windows - and this development will rather get stronger based on the increased hazard potentials. Solid safety windows emphasize the feeling of security in ones own home, and this emotional component favors the further development of your real estate, especially in case you would like to sell it.
“RC” is the abbreviation for “Resistance Class” and it means the same as the previous “WK” for “Widerstandsklasse”, which is no longer used today. The test standard for safety windows defines six resistances classes: Starting with RC1 windows that have basically no burglary protection up to RC6 windows with the highest safety class. We mostly recommend safety windows of the classes RC3 or RC4 for an effective burglary protection in private homes. Even RC2 windows offer still a solid basic protection.
In the past it was called “Widerstandsklasse”, abbreviated “WK”, today it is synonymous with “Resistance Class”, abbreviated “RC”. The test standard DIN EN 356 differentiates six resistance classes starting for safety windows of the classes RC1 to RC6, the highest resistance class.
The “N” represents normal window glass and that is not recommended: the culprit is in the house after throwing a rock.
The culprit breaks the pane - that is the reason why safety glass is indispensable. Or the culprit opens the window with a lever. A mushroom head locking does prevent this (see above).
With reservations. You must close the window every time you leave the house - and you must reopen it when you return. Resistant safety glass is significantly safer and you can waive the entire effort.
Unfortunately not. Even relative inexperienced amateur culprits are rarely stopped by roller blinds.
The statistics include in most cases all real properties, including the social housing. Higher value real properties normally attract experienced culprits: The safety requirements are therefore significantly higher.
The alarm system can at best supplement the mechanical burglary protection (safety windows, safety glass), but it cannot replace it. Police experts confirm this. Because action forces need on average 15 minutes until they are at the location.
Yes. However, these are special designs weighing a few thousand kilogram and they need special locks. Because safety windows of the highest resistance class (RC6) are no longer adequate for this application.
These “safety windows” do not offer any burglary protection.
These safety windows offer solid basic protection. The standard defines: A safety windows of class RC2 must withstand the amateur culprit for three minutes. The glass will actually not be tested! The specified P4A glass is already destroyed after 15 seconds. Recommendation: SILATEC P6B glass in contrast withstand for ten minutes.
These safety windows are our prevalent recommendation for private homes.
Based on the standard, the RC3 window must withstand a practiced burglarfor about five minutes; even if the burglar uses a massive crowbar. The RC4 must withstand ten minutes, even against experienced burglars with power drill, chisel, crowbar, or ax. Glass is again not tested in both classes! Only glass that can be destroyed quickly is specified. Therefore the recommendation: SILATEC P6B glass with more than ten or SILATEC P8B glass with twenty minutes resistance time.
These safety windows may already be too qualified for private homes: The standard specifies 15 minutes resistance time against experienced culprits with electrical tools (power drill, jigsaw or saber saw and angle grinder with a disk diameter of max. 125 mm.) The glazing is tested for this application. Recommendation: SILATEC P8B with about 20 minutes resistance time.
These safety windows are recommended, for example, for military facilities or nuclear power plants, which means extremely endangered areas. The standard requests 20 minutes protection against experienced culprits with powerful electrical tools. The glazing will also be tested for this application. Recommendation: SILATEC P8B with about 20 minutes resistance.
