Homeowners are always looking for new ways to keep their families and properties safe, with some spending upwards of thousands of dollars on increasingly complex security systems. Thankfully, plenty of more affordable ways to improve home security also exist. Professionally installed safety glass film offers an excellent opportunity to improve home security without spending a fortune. Read on to find out how it works.

What Is Safety Glass Film?

Safety glass film is a coating applied to any window to increase its strength and reduce the chances of injuries or damage in the event of an attempted break-in. There are several types of residential safety glass film. Generally, the thicker the film is, the more excellent protection it provides.

Deter Would-Be Burglars

In an ideal situation, homeowners wouldn't need to worry about preventing break-ins. While there's no way to reduce the risk of break-ins to zero, installing tinted residential safety glass is a great way to deter would-be burglars. The average criminal is looking for an easy target.

Homeowners don't need to give up their nice things to deter burglars, nor do they need to hide expensive electronics. Installing tinted residential safety glass is an excellent way to keep expensive items out of view without arranging the entire home around the need to deter criminals.

Stop Attempted Break-Ins

Window tinting alone may deter burglars by making it more difficult to tell if it's worth risking a break-in. However, it takes safety glasses to stop intruders in their tracks. Safety glass film can keep a window from shattering, which prevents would-be burglars from gaining entry to a home. Also called anti-break glass and anti-shatter film, this product can prevent most break-ins. Even if a would-be burglar is particularly determined, taking the time to cut through or remove the safety film can give homeowners, neighbors, or passersby the opportunity to call the police.

Prevent Injuries

The anti-shatter film doesn't just stop burglars from gaining easy entry to a home. This product can also reduce the chances of residents being injured during cleanup. By preventing the glass from shattering, it eliminates the sharp edges found on untreated glass that can cause potentially severe lacerations and other injuries. When a window treated with security film gets broken, whether by a would-be intruder or a stray branch during a storm, cleaning up the mess and replacing the glass will be easier.

The Importance of Proper Installation

Professional window film installers have two accepted methods for applying safety glass film. The most widely used of them is called the daylight method and is so named because it involves leaving a tiny gap between the film's outer edge and the window frame. This installation solution protects against forced entry and injuries caused by broken glass.

For applications where extra force could be applied, either by a particularly aggressive intruder or by something like a bomb blast, window film installers need to use an anchored method of installation. Either way, homeowners should only work with trained professionals.

Improve Residential Security With Safety Film

Residential safety film offers several added levels of home security at an impressively low price. Remember that while it's OK to shop for installers that offer low prices, homeowners should never sacrifice quality for cost. Safety glass film must be professionally installed to work as intended.