House window shutters - any way to make them secure?

[tRidiot]

I know no home is going to withstand a sustained attempt at entry... but I also know that making things more difficult for those attempting to do so buys you more time to prepare/respond to a threat, and also just discourages them and says, "Go find an easier target. This one is hard, and it very well may be well-defended."

I'm talking shutters like we see on people's windows all the time, but you can close or pull down or whatever, not just for natural disasters, but to help repel invaders. Roll-down covers may work for tornadoes, but are they sufficient to keep out someone prying on them? If there are "traditional" shutters on either side of the window, can you get them with inside hinges that cannot be accessed, locking bars and such? I don't think simply putting bars on your windows is sufficient... people may not be able to penetrate them, but they can certainly shoot through them and toss in Molotovs or similar objects. Metal screening is an option, but can still be seen through.

I'm talking serious steel shutters that are, while not "impenetrable", are at least very difficult and discouraging.


Any ideas?

I'm just theorizing here...

 

[dennishoddy]

Hurricane shutters.

 

[BadgeBunny]

I have actually seen some old-fashioned looking shutters that were hinged to the window in such a way that they looked like they were bolted to the brick at first glance, but they had a latch on them you could release (on the outside edges) and they would swing in towards the window so you could lock them shut. The hinges were situated on the inside of the "swing" if you get my drift ... I'm sure there is some engineering or architectural term for it but I dunno what it is ... These were custom made ... still looked pretty cool and any half-way handy fella could make them himself, I would think ...

The looked kinda like the breeze shutters you see on the coast but were made of metal and the louvres were closer together and angled so you could see out when the shutter was shut but folks outside had trouble seeing in without getting down in a really awkward position and even then, they were looking up at the ceiling ... Lower louvres were blocked off completely ...

 

[SMS]

Every house I lived in in Europe had metal or wood rolling shutters. They were closeable from inside (very important) and they were tough enough to at least slow down an intruder. If I ever get a chance to build a house the way I want to, all the windows and doors will have them.

They make nice models that are recessed and don't detract from the aesthetics of the home.

Sorta like these, but they're vinyl I think...http://www.hella.info/en/rolladen/pID/enp490f2b5c48e5c0.36826172.html

 

[dennishoddy]

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/broward/sfl-hc-shutterguide,0,4823608.htmlstory

http://www.alutech.com/architect-designer/security-shutters.htm

 

[WTJ]

Steely bars, maybe?

 

[Wheel Gun]

I don't think they have to be "that" secure. Mobs won't spend much time struggling with them when they can just go to the house next door and walk right in. Any metal shutters/bars would probably be a great deterrent.

 

[Repubiman]

Without spending hundreds or even thousands of dollars to retrofit your house with security shutters maybe you can do
it yourself on the cheap. What about pre-cutting 3/4" plywood to fit just inside the window frame (trust me most window
frames aren't exactly square either) and then running 2x6's horizontal across them where they were long enough on each
side if possible, to then be screwed or bolted into the wall studs and window framing?

The idea is more practical if one understands that any protection in the way of "hardening" is just for a deterent and used
to slow entry while allowing you enough time to react to the threat. It seems that you do understand that. So, use what
you have or can get at the lumber supply stores and pre-make them to be fitted (attached) when and if something does
happen. Just make sure they fit before hand and all you need to do would be attach them. If your wife is like mine there
is no way she's going to let me turn the house into a stockade vs. pleasing asthetics that she prefers and would be crushed
by what I just mentioned.

But again, you understand that it's pretty much useless to think you will keep a determined group of thieves or marauders
from entering most residential homes today. So, think in lines of slowing the attack enough to give yourself time to react
before a full breach of your home can be made. Also remember garage doors, especially the little side doors are a place that
have a high entry rate and need for reinforcing also.

Good luck and let us know what you come up with.

 

[Repubiman]

Also on hardening your home from someone(s) seeking entry, I have acquired the components to take a 30" long 2x6 and pre-drill
holes in the concrete garage floor so that I can butt it up against the bottom of my side door screw it to the floor
and then use 4 pre-cut 2x6's that can be spaced equally starting at 12" off the floor and going to the top off the door.

Again this will hopefully give me an audible warning if someone is trying to crash through there as a lot of noise would be made in trying to gain entrance through that particular spot. For my purposes, I'm looking more at slowing, not completely preventing an entry into the house. I also like the idea of it being removable and put into place as
needed.

 

[tRidiot]

I appreciate the ideas posted so far.

This is not for my house, which is actually a mobile home with a billion giant windows and will never be anything remotely resembling either secure OR defendable.

I am looking at ways to secure my old house, where my ex and son live. Got an alarm system put in finally this year and will be looking at new double-pane energy-efficient windows next spring. I was looking for actual shutters, that go on the outside of the house, are permanently-mounted and can be physically closed and bolted from the inside to make the house "reasonably" more secure in the event of the need to "batten down the hatches." I will keep searching, but I know we also need to replace exterior doors with steel models and door frames with much more secure systems.

It's all a work in progress, to be sure.