How To Secure Your Sliding Glass Door

How To Secure Your Sliding Glass Door

The option of shattered glass films might not be a security measure you think of right away for sliding glass doors, but they should be considered alongside other methods. One of the easiest measures you can take to secure a traditional sliding glass door is to install a safety bar into exposed door tracks. Another option is to add a security guard, or footlocker, installed in one of the door frames and set down to secure. There are even versions of this lock type that are suitable for two-slide glass doors, with a lock installed on one sliding door and a locking mechanism installed on the other sliding door.

If you have other security measures that are suitable for sliding doors, you can wait for the original latch to wear down and swap it out with the double-bolt type of lock. Another forced-bolt solution is to replace the main latch with a strong-duty, window-specific, secure door lock. Consider taking out the basic latching mechanism and installing a keyed door lock. This way, you are locking your door from sliding, even if you have broken your lock.

A criminal could just grab hold of the door and swing it around, breaking the lock and forcing the door to open. There are several ways of using a safety pylon or barrier, but the purpose is the same, and that is to prevent the door from sliding open if the lock fails or is knocked out. Often, the lock is little more than a simple bolt that latches onto the door jamb as you close the door jamb. The lock keeps a sliding glass door from moving laterally, and it keeps the door from moving vertically.

Slide-door locks are installed at the sliding portion of the door, with a steel vertically sliding pin or bar secured to the appropriate opening in the doorframe. A solitary lock is typically installed in a location where the individual sliding glass doors are closing on a frame, and the locking mechanism is secured to the top portion of the door frame. The multi-point lock mechanism in the sliding doors on many of our products involves the latch, deadbolt, and upper/lower lock bars. With the multi-point lock option, the lever handles are located both on the outside and the inside of the doors.

Some also offer an option for opening a door several inches by deadbolting it, like the Nightlock for windows, with the addition of a strike plate placed several inches outside the closed position to deadbolt it. Each of NanaWalls door systems features different lock options for customizing a door perfect for the home. Unlike traditional timber sliding doors that come installed with a lock and key, most patio door locks are less lock-and-key, more slide-and-release latch systems.

Installing bolt locks is a good way to increase security on sliding patio doors. If I had to sum up the sliding patio door security argument, I would say to add a shock-resistant protective film on the glass itself, have dowels cut for placement on tracks, and add the two-bolt sliding door lock mentioned right above. While a professionally installed metal security gate is not an immediate option to secure your sliding door, it is one more way to send the message that security is on your doorstep to everyone approaching the house.

Security systems offer glass-break sensors and door-opening sensors, along with cameras, so that you will have an early warning of anyone trying to enter your house if they can get past the locks on the patio doors. You can also install extra security cameras around the house to increase your security and to document an intruder.

In addition to taking the steps listed above, you should also consider getting a home security system that is installed and monitored by professionals. Choose security measures that fit your needs and your budget the most and keep your home safe for the long haul. Fortunately, there are a few simple steps you can take to help secure your home.

Fortunately, many methods to ensure good levels of security on sliding glass doors are relatively cheap, and the homeowner can install several of them as a DIY project. If you cannot afford a real security system, purchasing a bogus security sticker to put on the sliding glass doors claiming that you are protecting the sliding glass doors is still a wise step. You might find this hard to believe but having a security camera system installed on your sliding glass door could be an effective way to keep burglars and home invaders away.

Naturally, one of the easiest ways to improve the security of sliding screen door tracks is to place a barrier, like a tracking unit, on the tracks to stop the movements. Another way to protect against pick-off is to place a store-bought safety sash or a wooden stake into the concealed sliding door track system when the doors are not being used. On some door models that have vinyl frames, the lock shackles and the bolting mechanism will not even go through a solid wood or metal frame for proper protection.

To add extra strength to the lock, you will want to install a secondary steel locking system, like a deadbolt. Adding an aftermarket deadbolt will keep your doors stronger and easier to secure. Heavy-duty aftermarket locks can be installed on the top or bottom of your door to strengthen your existing locks.

Alternative use of some deadbolt locking devices is to provide security, so the active panels remain partially open, to let in the fresh air, but not open far enough to let in a young child (great for sliding glass doors opening to balconies, for example). Investing in other security measures does not make much sense unless you can securely bolt your doors. Fortunately, there are plenty of things you can do to minimize this threat, including hanging a blackout curtain or replacing your doors entirely. Clear window film will let a complete, unobstructed view of the outside of your house, almost as though nothing is outside except the glass–but it will let full views into your house, too, so unless you are planning on installing curtains, blinds, or some other window treatment that lets you shut off your doors when needed, you may want to consider some alternatives.

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