Adding unique and formal features and concepts to the newly constructed house sounds appealing, but exclusive and complementing inventions also come with a high-security risk. Many homeowners prefer securing the regular doors, windows, and exit and entry points by installing a video camera or a digitalized sensory-based security-based alarm system directly linked with law enforcement agencies. Safeguarding regular entry points is the foremost priority before moving to the house and considering overall home security. However, sliding doors are often neglected and overlooked in full-proof security, making the house’s back extremely exposed to would-be burglaries. This can ultimately be a massive breach of house security, allowing instant invasion resulting in a robbery or any other physical damage.
How to Secure Outside Track Sliding Glass Doors?
The best way to secure the outside track sliding glass door is to replace the latch with an actual lock. You can drill self-tapping screws into the upper track of the door for additional protection. You can use a barricade (security bar) that can make the door unopenable for additional security.
In the following video, you can see how to secure the outside sliding door and replace the door latch:
Sliding glass doors and French doors contribute to the house’s beautiful vision, but they are not adequately adjusted for security. They can be pretty difficult to secure and can trigger a security threat in invasive situations and keep the kids safe in the houses. With consultation from interior designers and decor experts, most homeowners prefer having a sliding glass door, especially if they live in a warm sunny area to soak the sunshine in. They provide striking views and might render an unending scenic picture if the surroundings are naturally beautiful and aesthetically pleasing.
Still, such situations can also pose a considerable safety risk. Although having an added sliding door to your home acts as a cherry on top as the house gets a bonus entry point and the added daylight, it increases positivity and boosts the mood. By adding a sliding door to the home, you can enjoy the outdoors and indoors simultaneously. However, the sliding door offers a straightforward approach to homeowners and potential burglars, keeping the advantages aside. According to recent research, about 70% of burglaries are invasions forcibly breaking through a sliding door. In addition, they can create an entrance by breaking the screens, damaging the door handles or even taking out the door entirely. But considering these potential scenarios, homeowners can increase their overall home security by learning the fundamental drawbacks of sliding doors.
Using latches instead of conventional locks is one of the drawbacks and limitations leading to break-ins. A safety and a key accompany traditional wooden doors, and most of the patio and deck doors are locks less, But burglars can also disable them. Even in the newly reconditioned houses, sliding glass doors tend to slip off their tracks. This becomes a challenge for the homeowners to put the giant door back to its original track, but this can be an opportunity for the burglars to slide the door off the main track for easy access to the inside of the house. Other than that, the sliding doors’ glass material can allow the intruders to break the windows conveniently. The glass windows and screens without the concept of privacy can create an uncomplicated entrance for the intruders.
Simple Tip to Keep Intruders from Entering Through a Sliding Glass Door
Sliding Glass Door Security
To increase sliding glass door security and protect the home from burglary, you can do the following:
- Use blocking bars
This involves adding a bar made of metal or wood along the sides of the sliding door bottom path. Even if the burglars learn to overpower and disable this latch, the physical barrier will make it impossible for the intruders to push the door firmly. The bar will prevent workers from reaching in, but the bar should only allow an insignificant opening. An alternative can be installed known as a “Charlie bar,” a fold-down concept that clearly blocks more than half of the door. - Add a security pin
To keep the burglars and intruders out of your property and prevent them from removing the door from the pathway, homeowners can insert a security pin. This includes drilling a hole through the door frame that slides into the frame of the motionless door. However, make sure not to drill deeper into the frame. After that, a hard-edged steel patio door pin can be inserted into the frame, allowing the two doors to hold together and establish a secure connection.
- Use shatterproof film
If you are living in a scenic zone, you can still cherish the different views and, at the same time, enhance security by using a shatterproof film to the sliding glass doors. This will secure your entry and exit points by preventing the burglars from breaking the glass door effortlessly. The shatterproof films are either transparent or tinted and can even protect glass windows and doors during extreme weather conditions such as hurricanes. The windows’ large width would allow the burglars to peek into the house and analyze their entry situation. In that situation, it is only a matter of striking the door with a rock or a brick to break a class and reach inside conveniently, inactivate the latch and slide open the door. However, the situation can be avoided if security films are applied to the glass’s inside as it gives extra power and protection. These are fragile films made with vinyl, adding a strong support layer, making it extremely hard for burglars to break.
- Digital alarm system
Despite taking preventive measures, including hard-to-break security locks, keys, and barricades, no amount of security can guarantee full-proof protection. Therefore it is essential to digitalize the property by using technological gadgets and mini-cameras to secure its premises. You can also attach alarm sensors to the sliding doors. They are also known as entry sensors and are attached to the door frames and windows to keep a close check if someone opens the door or forcibly opens the windows. Some alarm systems are also equipped with glass-breaking sensors. The sensors detect the sound made when a glass is broken and alert the homeowners or the monitoring center. These professionally installed home security systems will make the security system easy to monitor and capture unusual movements around the house as property without any preventative measures such as security cameras is more prone to burglary and intrusion. The home security systems are mostly expensive and can be a bit out of the budget because of the installation process. However, for vulnerable spots such as sliding doors, you can enhance security by adding top-quality cameras.
Home invaders are really fond of finding sliding doors and make it their prime entry point. They are one of the easiest entrances to overpower, and without preventative measures, the house is most likely to be susceptible to robberies and disturbing experiences of intrusion. Try covering the sliding doors with blinds or curtains that allow complete concealment and act as a deterrent. Opt for a barricade or a commercial lock that is hard to break. The electronic options are extremely efficient when it comes to direct association with law enforcement agencies. These monitors will alert you and the monitoring center of a potential intrusion into the house.
From 2022 onwards, Mark has also been contributing author of home repair articles at nimblefreelancer.com.
Read more on Mark Brown's biography page.
Contact Mark: mark@nimblefreelancer.com
