Securing Sliding Glass Doors

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.