Window pins keep burglars at bay

Step 1) Get your tools ready! You will need a drill with drill bits, a hammer, a tape measure and a pencil. And, of course, your window pins. You can use one pin per window or two -- one on the left side and one on the right. Your choice.

Step 2) Close and lock your first window. Use your measuring tape and pencil to locate and mark the point to drill your first hole. This is where the window pin will go when the window is in the closed and locked position.


Step 3) Carefully drill your first hole. You'll probably need to go with a 1/8-inch bit. If you're afraid of splintering the wood, drill a smaller guide hole first. Either way, you need to drill all the way through the inner/lower sash and then about three-quarters of the way through the outside sash. Caution! If you drill too deep you might go all the way to the other side, meaning your pin could be popped out by someone standing on the outside of your home. Oops!

Step 4) Install the window pin. Brush away any wood dust first. If the pin still does not work smoothly, use a little petroleum jelly or soap to grease its path.

Step 5) This one is optional. Drill one more hole (or two if you're using two pins per window) through the upper sash a few inches above the first set of holes. That way you can raise the window open a tad and reinstall the pin/s. This gets a little air in the house at night without having the window open far enough to present a security risk.

Yes, if someone really wants to break in, they can just smash a window. However, crime statistics suggest that most criminals don't want to be so obvious and are likely to give up and move on to the next prospect.

I found easy-to-follow instructions for this project in the book Dare to Repair by Julie Sussman and Stephanie Glakas-Tenet. A guide to various types of window locks can be found on Home Depot's website. I also found more handy burglary-prevention tips here and here.

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