For Kiwi businesses, the increasing retail crime rate is a source of major stress. Keeping your bricks-and-mortar store safe from robberies or ram raids is vital, but many store owners don’t want to give up the aesthetics they’ve worked so hard to create in their stores.
Enter clear security bars. These are a tailor-made solution for business owners who value their security and their style. But a vital question remains: Are clear security bars as strong as traditional window bars?
In this blog post, we’re reviewing everything you need to know about these bars. Read on to learn more about what they are, how durable they are compared to the more traditional alternative and the other benefits of choosing clear bars for your store.
What Are Clear Security Bars?
Clear security bars – also known as clear polycarbonate window slats – are designed to provide enhanced security over windows while remaining almost invisible to the naked eye. While traditional window bars are very effective, they can sometimes detract from the appearance of retail and commercial locations.
For business owners who want to prioritise their storefront’s appearance and create a welcoming atmosphere, these are a great choice. They can even be helpful for homeowners who want to allow natural light into their spaces without sacrificing vital security measures.
How Durable Are They Compared to Window Security Bars?
Polycarbonate – the material these slats are made of – is prized for its impact resistance. It’s commonly used for other high-security applications, such as bulletproof windows or even aircraft canopies.
The durability of these slats will heavily depend on the supplier you partner with. These bars are most effective when made from high-quality material, properly installed, and carefully designed to maximise impact resistance. As with any physical security product, it’s essential to find an experienced provider and verify the quality of their products.
For example, the Invisi-Guard Clear Polycarbonate Window Slats designed and provided by Xpanda are exceptionally secure. Featuring high-impact 10mm thick polycarbonate slats fitted into a robust steel frame, these clear bars are virtually unbreakable. In other words, they easily stand up to the standard set by metal window security bars.
Benefits of Choosing Clear Security Bars
If you select clear bars as your chosen security method, you can reap many potential benefits. Let’s highlight the top three benefits of choosing clear security bars for your storefront.
An Unobstructed View
In retail spaces, window displays play a massive role in drawing customers in from the street. Your storefront’s external appearance helps your ideal customer form a first impression, dictating whether or not they will step over your door’s threshold. Natural light is also a major factor in making businesses feel warm and welcoming.
While traditional window security bars are effective security measures, they can negatively impact both of these aspects of your business’s presentation. Clear bars provide 95% natural light transmission and clean off easily. So, prospective customers can see your window displays easily through them and feel warmly welcomed when they step inside your store.
Versatility & Compliance
If your storefront is in an area with restrictive building regulations, traditional window security bars may not be an option for you. Some places do not allow them because of how they look.
But with clear security bars, you can meet your own security needs while remaining compliant, which is a big win.
Top-Notch Security
Last but certainly not least, these clear window bars provide excellent security for any storefront. As we’ve established, they’re easily as strong as metal window bars when they have been installed and engineered correctly.
On top of that, they provide long-term assurance that metal window security bars often cannot. These polycarbonate slats won’t rust or corrode away, which is a major factor to consider with Auckland’s wild weather patterns. This means you can rest easy for years to come.
The one benefit these slats lack compared to traditional window bars is visibility. Whereas metal bars can act as a visual deterrent to potential burglars, clear window slats do not. This is the deciding factor for many business owners, so it’s important to consider whether you want a visual security feature or a hidden one. Bear in mind however, pretty much all store break-ins and ram raids have been scoped out beforehand – and in doing so they will observe that you have them, whether bars or clear bars.
So, what’s the verdict?
In short, clear security bars are absolutely as strong as traditional window bars. The 10mm thick polycarbonate slats are near-impossible to break, making them an ideal barrier between your building and any would-be criminals.
These are an excellent choice if you want to keep your venue light and breezy, as the clear slats allow natural light to flow unimpeded. With these slats in place, you can rest easy.
Talk to the experts in physical security about keeping your business safe.
Xpanda is New Zealand’s premium provider of high-quality physical security products. We have everything you need to secure your business from outside threats, from expanding doors and bollards to clear window security bars.
Are you unsure about what you need or want to discuss a custom solution? Let us know how we can help today.