We often received questions regarding the safety & security window film. What do they do? How do they protect? Why do I need safety & security window film? We hope to answer these and provide some additional information as well.
Let me ask you a question – which would you rather have protecting you? The glass with security film or the untreated glass?
Protection from Accidental Injury
Like an invisible shield, security films offer protection from broken glass when accidents occur at home and at work. When annealed glass breaks, the shattered pieces can cause serious injury or even death. Engineered with powerful adhesives, safety & security films reduce the hazard of broken glass by keeping the pieces together & safely attached to the film. Don’t be like to dog in this picture, at risk for possible injury due to a broken glass door.
Protection from Violent Weather
We all know that when Mother Nature loses her temper, devastation & loss is sure to follow. Glass is always one of the first casualties during a hurricane, tornado or severe storm. During violent weather wind, rain & flying debris can cause the glass to break. This gives anyone full access to your home or business. This can cause additional property damage and/or destruction. Safety & Security films help prevent entry of wind-borne debris, providing superior protection 24-hours a day. Disasters can strike with little or no warning, but a security film are always ready.
Protection from Crime
The photo on the left is from a customer after an attempted break in at her home. Windows & glass doors are the most vulnerable parts of your home or business. They are points of entry for criminals & smash-n-grab thieves. Glass is an easy target for vandals intent on mischief or worse. Security systems are helpful, but provide little protection from experienced or determined intruders. With security films, intruders can’t easily break the glass, even by striking it with a heavy object. Usually they become discouraged & move on to an easier target.
A Few Facts about use of Security Window Films:
Safety/security window films are designed to help hold glass fragments in place after glass breaks. Although there can be some added safety to any window covered by any type of film, there is no intended safety/security benefit unless the product is tested and listed as such by its manufacturer. Safety/security window films applied to glass are tested to the same break safe standards required of tempered glass, heat-strengthened glass, and laminated glass.
After repeated impacts to the same area, films can begin to tear due to the edges of the broken glass fragments penetrating the thickness of the film. This means that, in general, although films can help greatly by reducing glass hazards upon initial impact. With repeated impacts they may not continue to perform as well. We recommend that once a break or impact has occurred to have the existing film removed & replaced to ensure proper protection.
Films can be installed on the exposed area of the glass. The entire glass surface (called an edge-to-edge installation), or part of a film attachment system. Films installed on the exposed glass only holds the glass together & in the frame so long as some of the glass edge remains unbroken along the line where the glass meets the frame. Once there is total edge break of the glass itself, then the film and broken glass held by it vacate the frame. Films installed edge-to-edge hold glass in the frame better since a part of the film is installed on the glass under the frame. Thus holding the broken glass in place even with total daylight area glass breakage. Films installed as a part of an attached film system are “anchored” to the window frame itself, using a silicone adhesive.