I heard about Armorcoat on this blog and have since obtained a quote for a large window (42″ x 61″) and a glass door (66″ x 20″). To coat all the glass will cost me about $240 with Brower Tint and Graphics on the Eastside. Still waiting on a quote from Seattle Window Tinting.
Here’s what the Armorcoat web site says about it:
“To a thief, a broken window is an open door to the valuables locked inside. Your electronics, jewelry, merchandise and other costly possessions can all be gone in a matter of minutes after a criminal gains entry. Luckily, Armorcoat helps eliminate a burglar’s easiest access route – a broken window. By making a window more difficult to shatter and holding the broken glass firmly within the window frame after breaking, illegal access is much more difficult and less likely to occur.”
I included a picture of what happens when someone DOES try to break the Armorcoated glass. Sure, you end up with a broken window, but you keep Grandma’s jewelry.
The ONLY way an intruder could get into my house now is by breaking glass, because my window has been rendered inoperable and is bolted into its frame. A disturbing number of recent burglaries have happened because of broken windows or second-floor boost-ups. Just a friendly reminder: don’t leave anything outside that can be used to break the window (garden equipment or BBQ tools are common), and never leave a ladder against your house. That’s like saying, “Welcome, Burglar!”
Once I have this installed, I will post a followup about the experience and vendors.
UPDATE: I had Mark at Seattle Tinting come install the UV Armorcoat on the interior windows in my downstairs. They did a great job, despite fighting off my cat’s hair trying to get under the film! The cost for the install and all materials was $227 with tax and took them just over an hour to do three big glass panes. They were also very careful with my furniture and carpets, even taking off their shoes in my house. Nicely done!
3-M makes security films that are nearly invisible. We had Brower Tint & Graphics install film on our first floor windows and were very happy with their service. I highly recommend them.
If you have an alarm system you can also add a glass break detector. I think ADT quoted me $200 to install one to my existing (wireless) system. I’m considering this, considering the technique I’ve read that on here that the thieves are using – smashing a window even in an alarmed house to see if it sets it off.
Like keying and the dreaded acid? Anyone know? Brower?
FYI: Competitive quote from Seattle Window Tinting came in at $205 for the same coverage area.
I am not sure its the same product but at http://windowfilmsupplies.com/tint_quote.php you can buy the armorcoat film and the tools to install it yourself. It looks like it would cost me about $125 for four windows where as the quote I recieved was about $300. Has anyone tried to install it themselves.
I watched while the technician installed the film. I’m handy, but getting the correct fit, free of bubbles, looked like it could be tricky. I’m glad I paid to have them do it. But, I’d also be interested to hear from anyone who has done their own installation.
This may be a rather minor point, but it did cross my mind. Is there any issue of fire safety here – i.e., if one is inside a house on fire and a window is an escape possibility, does this window treatment prevent doing so because the occupant can’t break the window from inside and opening it is difficult?
Yes, it does make it harder to break out a window if there’s a fire. Window films do not have any impact on being able to open or close a window.
However, I have two doors on my first level so if one’s blocked, I’ll go with the other. There are also rope ladders you can have on your upper level windows that you toss out an open window and use for fire escape purposes.
We had Mark at Seattle Window Tinting install clear film on the outside and tinted film on the inside of all of our bottom floor glass. I feel that they did an excellent job and in watching this, it is very difficult to do yourself unless you want it to look like it is full of air bubbles and dirt!!
We are very happy with this film. I did not think of the fire escape issue, but it seems like opening a window would be your best bet and the gain of the security far outweighs any risk….just my two cents on it.
Thanks for the blog, it’s great!
-Bob