Monsoon storms in north India arrive with very little warning. One minute it is humid and still, the next the curtains are flying and every window in the house is banging against its frame.
The window that stays shut through all of this almost always has a decent tower bolt. The one that does not usually has a bent, loose bolt that slipped out of its keeper the first time the wind pushed. A tower bolt for windows is a tiny piece of hardware, but it does a surprising amount of work.
What a tower bolt does on a window
A tower bolt is a simple sliding bolt fixed to one shutter that slides into a keeper on the frame or the other shutter. On windows, it does three jobs.
It holds the shutters firmly closed against wind. It stops the window from being pushed open from outside, which matters a great deal on ground floors and on windows facing a terrace or a lane. And on double shutter windows, it holds the fixed shutter in place so the other one has something to close against.
How many and where
Most double shutter windows need a bolt at the top and the bottom of one shutter, and a handle or latch in the middle to close the second one against it. Tall windows and French windows may need longer bolts so they reach the frame without strain.
On ground floor windows, add a bolt on each shutter, not just one. It is a very cheap way to make a window much harder to open from outside.
Picking the right size
Window tower bolts come in different lengths. Small bolts suit small shutters and ventilators. Larger windows and heavy wooden shutters need longer, thicker bolts.
Measure the space on the shutter where the bolt will sit and check how far it needs to travel to reach the keeper. A bolt that barely enters the keeper will slip out with a little vibration.
Aluminium, brass or steel
An aluminium tower bolt for window use is light, does not rust and is easy on the budget, which is why it is the most common choice in homes today. It comes in a range of finishes and suits both wooden and aluminium windows.
Brass looks rich on traditional wooden windows and lasts for decades. Steel is strong and good for heavy shutters and iron windows. Whatever the material, choose a finish that suits the window frame and the rest of the hardware in the room.
Popular finishes now include black matt, gold matt and silver satin. Black matt looks sharp on white or light wood windows. Silver satin works with almost anything. Gold matt suits homes with warmer tones.
Fitting tips that make the difference
Fix the bolt with screws long enough to bite into the solid part of the shutter. Line up the keeper with the window fully closed and the shutters pressed together. If the keeper is even slightly off, the bolt will need to be forced every time, and soon nobody will bother to use it.
On aluminium or UPVC windows, use screws suited to the frame, and ask the fitter to drill pilot holes so the frame does not crack.
Simple care
Wipe the bolt and its channel when you clean the windows. A drop of oil before the monsoon keeps it sliding smoothly. If a bolt gets stiff, do not hit it with a hammer. Clean it, oil it, and check whether the window has shifted.
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Talk to Atom Locks
Atom Locks makes aluminium tower bolts in finishes like black matt, gold matt and silver satin, along with aldrops and other bolts and latches. Browse the range at https://www.atomlocks.com/ or raise a Bulk Query for builder and window fabricator orders. Call +91 9412273735 or email sa***@*******ks.com.
