How to make your sliding glass door security unbreakable? Protect your sliding glass door security so you are not burglarized and your home is safe with these expert tips from the pros!
- Higher quality latches
- Security bars
- Security film
- Floor latch
- Tough lock with a key
- Cameras
- Alarms
- CPTED
- Blinds
Do you have doubts about the safety features of sliding glass doors? Do you think that burglars can easily target sliding doors? Sliding doors are considered the most vulnerable entry point. The locks of sliding doors are not that effective and barely work as a deterrent to prevent unwanted entries. Many people with sliding doors live in constant fear that their home can be the easy target.
Instead of worrying over your sliding door, it is the time to take some extra measures to protect your home and prevent any unpredictable situation. You can easily secure your sliding door and ensure your home safety by following some preventive measures. In fact, you will not have to spend much to make your sliding doors impenetrable. Keep reading to know how to protect a sliding door.
Sliding Glass Door Security -Outsmart Burglars.
How to Protect Sliding Glass Doors from Burglars? You can protect your sliding glass door from burglars by using a multipronged approach to sliding glass door security. 1. Locks, 2. Security bar, 3. Mount it to the floor, 4. Signs, 5. Surveillance cameras, 6. Security film, 7. CPTED and 8. Blinds. 9. Alarm
Sliding doors are mostly used as backdoors by homeowners. Also, sliding doors are easy to break or force open. They do not cause much noise. All these things make these doors prone to burglary.
22% percent of burglars enter your home from the back.
However, you can avoid this possibility and protect your door in the best possible manner by using some advanced technologies and even by following some traditional methods.
A security bar and surveillance system can serve the purpose. Lets check out each one of these solutions.
Are Sliding Doors Easy to Get Open?
Yes, without security measures – sliding doors are easy to open. There is no doubt that sliding doors boost the curb appeal of your home and enable you to have a look of outside. But at the same time, it offers ample opportunity to the ill-minded people to enter your home and intrude your privacy.
How?
- Sliding doors prone to break or open since these are not made of solid wood and metal.
- Also, these are not protected with the best security system and locks.
- The locks are not helpful like other doors.
- They can be easily pick-able.
- Concealed. Sliding doors are usually hidden from the front yard and street as they are installed in the backyard, out of the common view.
All these negative aspects might discourse you to buy sliding glass doors. This is obvious since no one will prefer to allow burglars to enter inside their premise at ease. However, you can have the best solution to this problem. You do not need to compromise the look of your home. Instead, get the best protection.
As stated earlier, there are many ways to make your sliding doors impenetrable. We will discuss one by one in the followings.
What is the Best Way to Improve Sliding Glass Door Security?
1. High placed locks
Have you ever thought of additional locks? Yes, it is available. In fact, you will find many advanced locks to protect your sliding doors. You can consider a bolt lock or double bold sliding door locks. Different types of locks are available with a wide price range. Choose the one that fits your door and budget.
2. Security Bar
You can use a bar to protect your door from intruders. Even if the burglar will break the glass he cannot open the door when it is secured by the bar. You can get an excellent bar like this one at Amazon. It is childproof so kids and burglars alike won’t be able to open it.
You can get ones that go in the track or install bars that are in the middle (half way up the glass). Going with a multipronged approach adds security layers that is tougher for the criminals to bypass.
3. Lock with a Key
If you are looking for an easy and cost-effective solution, you can go with this option. You can lock your sliding door with the key that will minimize any intrusion. Almost any lock will be better than the cheap locking hook that comes standard with most sliding glass doors.
These floor mounts are very useful at night since all you have to do is click it with your foot. You don’t have to reach above and lock your door. A friend has one of these installed at their house. They love it and use it everyday.
4. Mount it to the Floor!
You can simply mount the sliding door to the floor. You can do this by installing a door to floor latch that you click with your foot. This will impede door movement and burglars cannot open it when movement is not possible.
5. Signs
Sliding signs are another option. These signs come with built-in end stops. That will prevent your sliding door from being pushed out of its frame. The result is predictable. Signs are also good for deterrence. Security signs add to your layered security which deters burglars even more.
6. Surveillance Cameras
If you are prepared to spend more, then think of surveillance cameras. These cameras will not protect your sliding door. But it will alert you when intruders will try to enter inside through sliding doors.
You can also provide the police with video footage of the crime – to help catch and arrest the burglar.
Dummy cameras are pretty cheap and will scare the burglars away. You can go with the real thing…which is recommended by most security experts.
An app for that. Get cameras you can see while you are away so you can always keep an eye on your house and have video of the crime.
Install a motion detector flood light to blind and scare the bastard off. This adds to your security layered defense.
Lowes – If you are still confused and unable to choose the best protection for your sliding doors, you can simply visit Lowes. They offer different types of security systems to protect sliding glass doors.
Home Depot can also come to your rescue to protect your sliding doors. This website offers different types of products and security systems to protect your home and doors. You will have wide options to choose from.
DIY Film Install – Add heat reflective film to the storm door glass and to cool down your hot front door
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- Select the heat reflective film.
- Heat Control Platinum can be found on Amazon. It blocks 99% of the UV rays and 71% of the total light energy.
- Darkened finish film
- Installation kit.
- Save yourself time and money and get a kit the 1st time.
- Window film complete installation kit.
- Clean the glass. Twice. Use a good cleaner like XXX so you can make sure the window is clean. Clean it a second time to make sure it is perfect. Any dirt or debris left on the window will impact the look of the film – possibly causing air bubbles.
- Wear gloves so you don’t leave fingerprints.
- Measure & cut. Unroll the film so it covers the entire area and leave an extra 1″ that you can cut off once finished.
- Remove the backing slowly.
- Spray the window with the solution so it is wet.
- Top down. Make sure the film stays level as you place it on the glass, working your way down.
- Continue to spray the film.
- Push bubbles out with the squeegee. Start in the center and push the bubbles to the left. Then again in the center and to the right.
- Trim the excess.
- Clean the window….and smile.
Different types of films are available for sliding glass doors. You can choose the one that is specifically designed for security purposes. Burglars can break the door, but he cannot go through the film. No film is impossible to get through with the right amount of time.
The point is to slow the burglar down so they will give up and leave. Quality security films will strengthen the glass so it will require a hammer to pound the glass hard enough that it spiders cracks.
- With security film. The glass will need to be hit half a dozen times. This is loud and burglars won’t hit more than once.
- Without security film. 1 single hammer swing will shatter the glass.
Other Considerations
CPTED. Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design. If you have landscaping near the doors, trim them back so the glass door is not concealed by vegetation. Trees and large plants can be the best place for hiding for potential burglars.
Blinds or shades. Buy a cover for your window. This will make a great difference since intruders will not be able to see inside. If they can see inside your sliding glass door then they can determine if anyone is home which makes it easier for them to break in.
Purchase quality sliding doors so the sliding door cannot be easily prayed from the track. This is often overlooked when doing a security vulnerability assessment on your house.
Wrapping Up
Intruders and burglars like sliding glass doors. These doors are easy to break and are installed in most backyard. Also, these are not protected by a developed lock mechanism.
In brief, these are the easiest entrances to break in through. Therefore, it is important to protect your family with the best possible solution. You can consider all the above ways to protect your sliding glass doors. By utilizing several of these measures you greatly increase your security score and lower the likelihood of being broken in.
Get the solution that suits your budget and fits your sliding glass door.
Just remember to secure your front door as well. Click here to 12 Ways to Significantly Improve Your Front Door Security
How to Cool Down Your Hot Front Door? (Learn the expert advice)
How to Cool Down Your Hot Front Door? There are many ways to cool down your hot front door including using heat reflective paint, using a door handle guard, using heat reflective film for the storm door. Also, we will focus on different types of materials and some other important factors that can help you to reduce the heat.
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