Draughty Windows? It’s Not Just Letting the Cold In—It’s Letting Burglars In Too

Winter and Spring are cold. Properly cold. If you’re sitting in your living room and can feel a breeze coming from your closed uPVC window, your first thought is probably about your heating bill going through the roof. 

But draughty windows signal a much bigger problem than just heat loss. It means your window security is compromised.

 

The Gap is the Vulnerability

If air can get in around a closed window, it means the window isn’t sealing tight against the frame. This gap is usually caused by one of two things:

Failed Hinges: The friction stay hinge (the metal arm that holds the window open) has snapped or worn out completely, leaving a gap on the hinge side even when the window is supposedly closed.

Broken Locking Mechanism: The espagnolette (the locking strip that runs up the side when you turn the handle) isn’t pulling the window tight into the frame anymore. The shootbolts might be worn, or the gearbox inside the handle has failed.

 

Why This Matters for Security

A window that doesn’t seal tight is incredibly easy to pop open with a screwdriver. Burglars actively look for these “gapping” windows because they can often pop them open with a flat screwdriver in seconds, completely bypassing the lock.

They don’t need to smash the glass. They don’t need to make noise. They just slide a tool into the gap and lever the window open.

We’ve been called out to several break-ins in the Farnham and Godalming areas where this exact method was used. The homeowner thought the window was locked because the handle was down, but the mechanism had failed months earlier and they hadn’t realised.

 

Kill Two Birds with One Stone

The good news? You don’t need to fork out for expensive new windows. Hogs Back Security can replace faulty hinges and locking mechanisms for a fraction of the cost of a new window unit.

When we fix your window mechanism properly, you’ll notice three immediate benefits:

Stop the draughts: The window will seal tight against the frame, keeping the cold air out where it belongs.

Lower your heating bills: Your radiators won’t be fighting a losing battle against cold air constantly seeping in.

Secure your home: The window will actually lock properly, making it far harder for opportunist burglars to target.

 

Don’t Put It Off

If you’ve got draughty windows, book them in to be fixed before winter really bites. We serve Farnham, Godalming, Aldershot, and all the surrounding villages, and we carry most common window parts in the van.

📞 Call Hogs Back Security today: 07570 252 223