Securing Sliding Glass Doors
February 1, 2009 by · Leave a Comment
Securing sliding glass doors and keeping your home safe is undoubtedly something that’s important to you. Sliding glass doors can be the perfect weak spot for someone to take advantage of you, so make sure you are not in need of sliding glass door repair first. There are a lot of ways you can improve your sliding door security without adding anything to your sliding glass door itself. No special equipment is needed to take a huge step in securing your home.
Check to make sure your sliding glass doors have a lock on them. Normally they’ll only come with a latch, this isn’t the same thing as a lock. The latches are most often made of a cast metal or aluminum, which is not sturdy. They are easily worn out and misaligned. Because sliding glass doors are usually located in back an inadequate latch will offer little resistance to an intruder. Sliding door security starts with making sure you can lock the door effectively. There are locks available at the hardware store specially made for sliding glass doors. They are relatively inexpensive and take almost no time at all to install. It is definitely worth investing in one.
During the summer months many sliding glass doors are left open for the warm air to move through, or for a pet to come and go as they please. The large majority of home invasions are accomplished because a door was left unlocked. It’s very easy to open the sliding glass door and then forget to lock it again. You don’t have to keep it locked up day and night but a few extra precautions go a long way in sliding door security. For example, simply placing a wooden dowel in the sliding door track will greatly aid in keeping it secure. Make sure it’s long enough that it can only be opened a few inches.
Getting a lock for the bottom of the sliding door track is another great idea. All you have to do is drill a hole or two in the metal, one for when its closed and the other for when it’s open part of the way. This way the lock can be moved and allow you to open the door for ventilation while remaining conscious of sliding door security.
To prevent sliding glass doors from being lifted off the track make sure the rollers are in good condition and properly aligned. Also install self-tapping screws in the upper track. The head of the screw will protrude just enough to allow you to open and close the sliding glass doors without allowing the rollers to be removed.
Finally, place a security system decal in plain view on the sliding glass doors. Even if you don’t have a security system, many intruders report that just the warning that you might is enough to make them move on. If you can’t get one of these stickers, a Beware of Dog sign will work just as well. These are the most basic, yet likely most important, steps in sliding door security.
Sliding Glass Door Security Accessories
January 20, 2009 by · Leave a Comment
Sliding door security should be a priority. In addition to the things you can do to secure sliding glass doors on your own, there are several items on the market specifically with security in mind. Once you know the door locks it can be difficult to know what to do next. There are a few things that take the extra step in sliding door security and really make those patio doors unattractive to an intruder.
Perhaps the easiest way to security those patio sliding doors is a sliding door security bar. There are two types of these available. One for standard doors and one for sliding glass doors. Be sure is has locking device and withstand 1,000 pounds of force. If you are not sure whether the sliding door security bar you’re looking at is adequate, ask a salesperson. This type of device will also prevent anyone from lifting the door off the track. Sliding door security bars are also called Charley Bars, so if you see that on a label don’t worry it is the same thing. You can get a bar that is one specific length or an adjustable one. The benefits of the adjustable one is that it can be in place all the time, whether the sliding glass doors are open or not.
A sliding door security screen is another great option. They can keep out flies or other bugs and provide an extra deterrent to a thief. Unfortunately their downfall is their convenience. It is very easy to leave it open and then it does you no good at all. Most of these sliding door security screens are made of wire mesh with steel around the outside to give it some extra strength. Since burglars are looking for the easiest way into a home, having an obstacle like the screen in the way could make them move on to another neighborhood. There are also several automatic screen closers available to ensure that your sliding door security screen never stays open unintentionally.
Also available for sliding door security is a protective film to place over the glass. The price varies by the company you go through, but it can be pricey. This is a clear adhesive film that makes it nearly impossible for the glass to be broken. It is still possible to break it, but it takes a tremendous amount of force and makes a lot of noise. Not only that, the film has a ultra-violet inhibitor that will reject most of the rays of the sun that can fade your furniture. While expensive, this provides a lot in the way of sliding door security that other methods can lack. Whatever you do with your sliding glass doors, making it difficult to get into your home will make the biggest difference.
Sliding Glass Door Security For Your Home
January 20, 2009 by · Leave a Comment
There are a lot of entrance points rather than just your sliding glass doors. While the sliding glass doors may be one of the weaker points in your home’s perimeter, the rest of your doors could be just as big of a security risk. Here are the basics to keeping your doors secure without a lot of hassle.
It’s important to door security to know what kind of doors you have. Just with sliding glass doors, you need to know what your other doors consist of. Solid wood doors are the most common and great for door security. They are not easy to break or damage and will make a lot of noise if someone tries to do so. You can also find metal doors that are paneled with wood to give it a better look. Obviously these are the most impenetrable, but are also the most expensive.
As with sliding door security, the main security risk with your doors is accidentally leaving them unlocked. If your home is older, check to make sure the lock is still tight. The screws on the lock tend to loosen with time and a loose lock is one that’s easy to compromise. Just locking your door by the handle will also hurt your door security. The door is locked, but it is not that much more secure than if it was left unlocked. One well-placed kick will have a burglar in your house without anyone having a chance to notice. The best way is to lock both the handle and the deadbolt every time you leave the house. A door chain can also serve the same purpose. They are easy to install and very inexpensive. They’ll allow the door to only open a short way, which is great for your door security.
Also consider getting special hinge screws. These are longer 3” screws and are easy enough to get installed in your door. They are specially designed to prevent the door from being pushed in if the hinge pins get removed.
The most recommended solution to entrance door security is to keep the entranceway clear. Most police departments suggest this as the best way to keep a burglar from thinking your home is a good target. Keep all tree and shrubs well trimmed at all times. Burglars really only need one thing to victimize you and your family, and that is privacy. With enough privacy all the door security in the world can be breached. Make sure at every doorway there is enough open space that no one could possibly hide there. These simple steps will take your door security to the next, protected level.
Sliding Door Security Options
January 13, 2009 by · Leave a Comment
Sliding door security should be important to you because would be intruders find gaining access through most sliding doors very easy. Sliding doors that are not secured can be literally open with a butter knife or small screwdriver, sometime even less tools are required. Read more
Entrance Door Security Tips
January 12, 2009 by · Leave a Comment
Sliding door security is important as we have discussed. The entrance door to your home is by and large the most beautiful, yet almost the most burglarized. Many police officers will tell you that entry is most often gained through the front door of your home. Entrance door security is the most important and also the most overlooked. Read more
