The standards
Security screens and doors in Australia are covered by a set of standards:
- AS 5039 sets out what a security screen door or security window grille has to achieve.
- AS 5040 covers how they're installed.
- AS 5041 describes the test methods used to prove performance.
What the tests look at
The test methods simulate the ways people actually try to get through a screen, including impact against the infill, cutting the mesh with a knife, levering the screen with a tool, pulling the infill out of the frame, and probing through the openings to reach a lock.
A product has to pass as a complete system. Strong mesh in a weak frame, or a good frame with a poor lock, doesn't make a security screen.
Why installation is part of it
A tested screen that's fixed poorly into the wall or window frame can still be pulled out. That's why the installation standard exists, and why we fix every screen into solid structure and check it before we leave.
Who checks?
The National Security Screen Association (NSSA) is the industry body. Prowler Proof's products are audited through the NSSA, and Viking is an NSSA member.
Questions to ask any supplier
- Has this exact product been tested to the Australian Standards, as a complete door or screen?
- Is the lock part of that tested system?
- Is it installed to the installation standard?
- Is the infill a security mesh or sheet, or a flyscreen or decorative panel?
Barrier and decorative screens
Some screens are designed as barriers to keep kids and pets in or as decorative features. They can be good products, but they aren't security screens. Make sure you know which one you're being quoted.