Clearview National April 2019 - Issue 209 | Page 76

HARDWAREEXTRA
NO-GO means NO-GO
When Aubrey Dunford and his wife came downstairs one
morning and couldn’t find his laptop, or her handbag, it quickly
became apparent that an overnight burglary had taken place. With
no broken windows or forced doors, however, it was a mystery
how the intruder had got into the house. It was only when he
went into the utility room that he realised the entire pane of
glass had been removed from its frame and was propped against
a wall outside. And, not only had the laptop and handbag been
stolen – while the couple had been sleeping upstairs – but both
cars had been taken too; one was later found down the road and
one ‘wrapped around a lamp-post’ in London sometime later.
» » WHAT SHOCKED AUBREY
Dunford most however was when
the Police came to the crime scene
and remarked that this method
of entry is a very common tactic
used by burglars; but one that is
seldom spoke about. Perhaps by
highlighting the risk of windows
with external beading being
a possible point of entry for
intruders, one is also advertising
a method for would-be burglars
to get in, Aubrey thought, but he
also believed that there must be a
way to secure glass into window
frames without replacing the
entire unit; and if there wasn’t,
why not?
Aubrey got in contact with
‘serial inventor’ David Murphy
– one of the original ‘Window
Doctors’ – and set about
designing and developing the
NO-GO; a device that could be
retro-fitted to PVC-U or metal
windows with external beading.
And, while externally beaded
windows are used less in new-
builds than in the past, architects
still prefer them in certain areas;
such as coastal projects, which
also offers an opportunity for
the NO-GO to be factored into
the initial security plans of new
properties.
While the product took some
seven or eight years to bring to
market; for all the relevant testing
and certification to be acquired,
the result has been a resounding
success. For those that have
heard about it. For, as it is never
a wise idea to make wannabe
criminals aware of how easy it is
to get into someone’s home; the
NO-GO is not something that
can be advertised in the public
domain. As a result, the device
has so far been the reserve of
window repairers, locksmiths,
security specialists, and architects/
specifiers. For those that are
aware of it, the NO-GO has
become a very lucrative ‘add-on’
at replacement/repair jobs, as well
as for security advisors that are
hired to ‘troubleshoot’ homes and
business premises.
As the device is a ‘one size fits
all’ product – in fact, Aubrey has
never come across a PVC-U or
metal window frame with external
beading that it hasn’t worked
on – installers can keep a supply
in their van, without having to
carry a full range of shapes/sizes
or ordering them specifically for a
job. There is the option of several
different colours (to aesthetically
complement different types of
frames), but other than that there
will be no difficult decisions to
make when it comes to choosing
the right NO-GO for the job.
76 » A PR 2019 » CL EARVI E W- UK . C O M
Installed in minutes, once fitted
correctly, the NO-GO requires
no future replacement or
maintenance, so is very much a
‘fit and forget’ product.
The pièce de résistance with
the NO-GO however is quite
possibly the bonder that is used to
fix it to the window. And, it was
actually the aspect that Aubrey
comments they spent the most
time on during the development
phase. It is a little-known fact that
usually glue deteriorates gradually
in UV-light; not a great trait for
a product that will be fitted to
a window. The bonder used for
the NO-GO actually improves
through UV exposure, which
means the longer it is on the
window, the stronger it gets.
From a very unpleasant
experience for the Dunfords,
almost a decade of design and
development, and hundreds of
fittings later; with all the features
and benefits of the NO-GO,
its true beauty really lies in its
simplicity. This simple device,
that is straightforward to fit,
also offers an easy upsell for
window repairers all over the UK
and Ireland. For good quality,
energy efficient PVC-U or metal
windows, when the only issue is
one of security from their external
beading, a NO-GO is both an
affordable and reassuring option
for the customer, and a money-
making fast fit for the installer,
that keeps glass in the frame, and
intruders out.
www.nogosecurity.co.uk