About Security Window Bars

Marcus Reid

Lead Security Consultant

12 years in physical barrier systems — started with commercial door hardware before moving into window security for residential clients in high-crime Chicago neighborhoods. International Door Association certified.

Personally field-tested the first SWB prototypes on 47 windows across 11 homes before the product launched — including a 1920s Chicago bungalow with non-standard window openings that nothing else on the market would fit.

Led engineering on all three SWB models with the specific constraint that any homeowner with a standard drill could install them correctly in a single afternoon.

Bedroom egress is the #1 overlooked failure point.

Most homeowners protect ground-floor windows and forget bedroom windows entirely. IBC § 1030 exists for a reason — and the add-on egress kits from big-box stores are consistently installed wrong. We built the egress mechanism into Model A/EXIT so there's nothing separate to install incorrectly.

Fixed-size bars fail more often than installers admit.

In 11 years of field work, Marcus saw bars installed loose, shimmed with scrap wood, or overlapping window frames because the bar 'almost' fit. The gap between the bar and the frame is all a determined intruder needs. Telescopic adjustment exists specifically so you get a tight fit every time.

The drill matters more than the bar.

Masonry anchors in a soft concrete block won't hold under load no matter how good the bar is. Model B ships with the correct masonry anchors for the wall type — and the installation guide specifies minimum embedment depth. This is not a detail to skip.

Visible deterrence outperforms concealed security.

Every piece of residential burglary research agrees: opportunistic burglars select targets based on visible cues before they ever attempt entry. A bar they can see through the window changes their calculus before they touch your property.