A rooflight transforms how a room feels. It floods a space with daylight, opens up a ceiling, and makes even a modest extension feel generous and airy. But for many homeowners, there is an underlying question that does not always get addressed at the point of purchase: how secure is it?
Rooflight security is a legitimate concern, particularly for flat roof extensions where the glazing sits at low level and is accessible from ground level or an adjacent structure. The good news is that modern rooflights are engineered with security as a core design requirement - not an afterthought.
This guide walks you through every layer of rooflight security, from glazing specification and frame design to certification standards and anti burglary features, so you can make a confident and informed decision for your home.
Why Rooflight Security Deserves Serious Attention?
Wall-mounted windows and doors have had security standards applied to them for decades. Most homeowners are familiar with multi-point locking systems, laminated glass requirements, and PAS 24 certification for ground-floor glazing. Rooflights, by contrast, have historically received less attention on this front - and that gap in awareness is exactly what informed buyers need to close.
Secure rooflight design accounts for all of these factors. Understanding what to look for means you can specify or buy with confidence rather than hope.
The First Layer: Glazing Specification
The glass itself is the most important security element in any rooflight. There are two key glazing types relevant to rooflight security, and understanding the difference between them matters.
Toughened Glass
Toughened glass is heat-treated to increase its strength relative to ordinary annealed glass. When it breaks, it shatters into small, relatively harmless granules rather than sharp shards. It is significantly stronger than standard glass under impact - but it is not a security glass in the true sense, because once it breaks it provides no further resistance. A determined intruder who shatters toughened glass has immediate access.
Laminated Glass
Laminated glass consists of two or more panes bonded together with an interlayer - typically polyvinyl butyral (PVB). When laminated glass is struck, it may crack, but the interlayer holds the broken pieces together. The glazing remains in place even after the impact, continuing to resist entry. This is why laminated glass is the specification of choice for anti burglary skylight applications.
The Second Layer: Frame Strength and Fixing
Glass alone does not make a rooflight secure. The frame that holds the glass, and the way it is fixed to the upstand and roof structure, are equally critical elements of secure rooflight design.
Aluminium is the standard frame material for quality flat rooflights. It is strong, dimensionally stable, and does not corrode or warp over time. A well-engineered aluminium frame will hold glazing under significant loading without distorting - important both for security and for weatherproofing.
The Third Layer: Secured by Design and PAS 24 Certification
For homeowners who want independent verification of rooflight security rather than relying on manufacturer claims, two certification schemes are the benchmark in the UK.
Secured by Design
Secured by Design (SBD) is a police-backed initiative operated by the Police Crime Prevention Initiatives organisation. Products that carry the Secured by Design mark have been independently tested and certified to resist attack using the tools and techniques commonly used in burglary. The certification tests glazing, frame, fixing, and locking mechanisms together as a complete system.
PAS 24
PAS 24 is a British Standards Institution specification for enhanced security performance for windows and doors. It has historically applied primarily to vertical glazing but is increasingly referenced in rooflight specifications, particularly for opening units. A rooflight tested to PAS 24 has passed a defined series of attack tests covering manual attack with hand tools, mechanical attack with power tools, and load application.
For new builds and renovations in areas with higher crime rates, specifying PAS 24 or Secured by Design certified rooflights is a straightforward way to satisfy both your own security requirements and any insurance policy conditions. Browse the full rooflights range to find certified units that suit your specification.
The Fourth Layer: Opening Rooflight Security
Fixed rooflights present a relatively contained security challenge - the glazing and frame must hold against forced entry, and there are no moving parts to attack. Opening rooflights introduce an additional dimension: the locking mechanism on the sash.
A poor-quality opening rooflight may have a simple push-button or single-point latch that offers minimal resistance. A well-engineered anti burglary skylight opening unit will incorporate multi-point locking - where the sash is held at multiple positions around the frame simultaneously - making it far harder to lever open from outside.
|
Rooflight Type |
Forced Entry Risk |
Key Security Feature |
|
Fixed - toughened glass |
Moderate |
Glass shatters on break-in |
|
Fixed - laminated inner glass |
Low |
Glazing holds after impact |
|
Opening - single-point latch |
Higher |
Latch can be levered |
|
Opening — multi-point lock |
Low |
Multiple lock points resist leverage |
|
Electric opening |
Very low |
Motor and actuator resist manual attack |
|
Secured by Design certified |
Very low |
Police-tested complete system |
For ventilating rooflights on extensions, the opening rooflights range at Skylights Roof Lanterns includes units with robust locking mechanisms designed with home security in mind.
The Fifth Layer: Installation Quality
The best-specified rooflight in the world will underperform on security if it is poorly installed. The most common installation-related security failures are:
Inadequate upstand height. A low upstand reduces the overlap between the rooflight frame and the kerb, making it easier to apply leverage at the junction. Standard upstand specifications exist for a reason - do not reduce them to save material.
Unsealed perimeter gaps. Any gap between the frame and the upstand is a potential lever point. Continuous perimeter sealing with compatible silicone or gasket systems eliminates this vulnerability and also improves weatherproofing.
Exposed external fixings. Where fixings are on the exterior of the unit, they should be security-headed screws that cannot be removed with a standard screwdriver. Better still, specify units where fixings are concealed inside the frame.
Unsecured kerb. The upstand kerb itself must be firmly fixed to the roof structure. A rooflight frame that is secure but sitting on a loose kerb can be removed by lifting the entire assembly.
Additional Security Measures Worth Considering
Beyond the rooflight unit itself, homeowners can supplement rooflight security with a few additional measures that add meaningful deterrence without significant cost.
Alarm sensors. Vibration sensors or glass-break sensors can be fitted internally to the rooflight frame. These trigger an alarm when impact or glass fracture is detected, providing an audible deterrent and alerting a monitoring centre if the system is monitored.
Security film. Retrofit security film applied to the inside of existing rooflights adds a layer of laminate-like performance to glazing that was not originally specified with a laminated pane. It will not match factory-laminated glass in performance, but it meaningfully increases the time required to breach the glazing.
Lighting and visibility. Motion-activated lighting on flat roof areas and extensions removes the cover of darkness that makes low-level rooflight attack easier. This is a low-cost deterrent that also addresses security across the wider external area, not just the rooflight itself.
For homeowners who are building a new extension and want to read further on the glazing safety side of specification, the planning permission for rooflights guide covers the compliance context within which secure rooflight design sits.
