HURRICANE WINDOWS - Glass Information

KeepSafe Security Glass

At its best when weather's at its worst, KeepSafe Glass is hurricane and burglar protection you can't see until you really need it. Imagine glass windows and doors that stand up to hurricane-force winds up to 110 mph…that protect against flying debris...that resist forced entry...and that work 24 hours a day, 365 days a year in your home. Now there's a single kind of product that delivers it all--windows and door systems made with KeepSafe Maximum glass.

Similar to car windshields and aircraft windows, KeepSafe Maximum is produced by bonding a tough polyvinyl butyral (PVB) plastic interlayer between two pieces of glass under heat and pressure. Once sealed, the glass "sandwich" works as a single unit and appears transparent, just like ordinary glass. The result is a tough, durable, high-performance glazing material that tests show can resist hurricane-force winds and windblown debris. All window systems using KeepSafe Maximum glass meet the hurricane requirements for wind borne debris. It is a shatter-resistant, aesthetically pleasing barrier that will help protect your property and family from burglaries.

The KeepSafe "Break In Protection" warranty offers you a reimbursement on your insurance deductible for property loss arising from break ins through a broken or smashed KeepSafe glass window. In addition, this warranty program is transferable if you should sell your home. What a great selling point - safety!

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Crime Clock, burglaries continue to occur at the alarming rate of one every 12 seconds. Thieves tend to see homes as easy targets and often attempt to gain entry through the most accessible areas: windows and doors.

Security experts note that if it takes longer than 10 seconds to penetrate a home, even the most determined of thieves will likely go elsewhere. "Burglars look for the path of least resistance. If they have to make noise to break in, they'll be deterred," says Jean O'Neil, director of research and policy, National Crime Prevention Center.

More than half of all completed burglaries involve forced entry of some kind, such as the breaking of glass to unlock a window or door, the prying open of a door or picking of a lock. Now, with the window systems made with KeepSafe glass, there is a helpful solution with the confidence of a "Break In Protection" warranty backing it up.

Advantages

• Hurricane Protection: Windows and doors made with KeepSafe Maximum glass meet or exceed the toughest code requirements for hurricane protection.
• Safety: Resists penetration from accidental impact. If broken, glass fragments tend to adhere to the interlayer thereby reducing the danger of serious injury. Meets CPSC, CFR 1201 and ANSI Z97.1 safety glazing standards.
• Sound Control: Is effective in controlling the transmission of sound into your home.
• UV Protection: Screens out 99% (up to 380 nanometers) of the sun's most damaging rays reducing glare, fading of carpets, drapery, and furnishings.
• Security: Protects against forced entry and resists repeated blows from hammers, bricks or similar weapons. Meets ASTM F-1223 (Class 1) forced entry standard.
• Appearance: No unsightly metal shutter systems over every window. No stacks of plywood in the yard or garage.

Cost Comparison

The Cost-Effective Choice For Constant Hurricane Protection. Protecting Your Home As Well As Your Pocketbook.

Contrary to popular belief, code-approved window systems with KeepSafe Maximum glass can actually be less expensive to install during new home construction than windows protected by shutter systems. For example, windows made with KeepSafe Maximum glass can beat the cost of regular windows with accordion shutters by as much as 17%. And windows made with KeepSafe Maximum beat the cost of regular windows with roll-up shutters by up to 50%.

There's more good news. Unlike shutter systems that require someone to put them in place for an impending hurricane, KeepSafe Maximum windows deliver worry-free, hassle-free protection that works round-the-clock--whether you're at home or away.

* Cost study conducted by the Associated Cost Engineers in Orlando, Florida. Based on a typical $100,000 to $120,000 code-approved model home in Dade County with 1,632 sq. ft. of living area. Study includes purchase and installation of windows and hurricane shutters.