Sliding doors provide superior airflow and easy access to decks and patios. However, these doors are vulnerable entry points for intruders if not completely secure. Fortunately, there are easy steps you can take to protect from unwanted visitors effectively:
Install a sturdy lock
The strongest way to secure your sliding door is with a sliding door lock. These locks are installed at the top of your door where the stationary glass and the sliding glass door meet. These locks work in addition to the door locks and can only be opened by an adult or tall child. They make it impossible to jimmy the door open, from either the inside or the outside. Some of these locks come with two locking positions: one that will lock it completely closed and a second that will let you lock the door in place between 7 and 15 cm open to allow for ventilation.
Installing these locks is more complicated than the other items on our list, but not by much.
- Close your door all the way
- Clean out the upper track on your sliding glass door
- Position the lock in place and mark holes
- Drill pilot holes
- Secure the lock in place
After you’ve installed the top piece in the upper track, you’ll need to follow a similar process for the locking piece on the door itself. You’ll position the lock, mark the spots you need to drill, then drill the holes and secure the lock in place. (For more detailed instructions, see the manufacturer’s guidelines.)
These locks are both super secure and subtle. Guests will likely not even notice them, but your doors will be much safer and just as beautiful.
Source: Safewise
Put a security film on your door
To prevent a potential burglar from simply breaking the glass to get in, consider security film. Security film is a self-adhesive film that attaches to the glass of the door and keeps the glass from shattering if it’s impacted. (It also adds a layer of safety to your door in case of accidental breakage.) Security film also comes in heat reduction, mirrored, and tinted varieties, in addition to clear, so it can do double duty. The downside to security film is that it might make your view slightly distorted, even with the clear variety.
Source: LifeHacker
Set up a security system
A home security system, whether self-monitored with an app and a smartphone or professionally monitored by a home security company, can bolster the physical security you’ve already added to your door. Cameras will provide a warning that someone is loitering in proximity to your home, and they potentially may ward off would-be intruders by letting them know that someone is watching. If a break-in does occur, cameras may help identify the intruder and help you reclaim stolen items.
Security systems offer glass-break sensors and door-opening sensors, as well as cameras, so you can be alerted to someone trying to get into your home should they manage to bypass your patio door lock. If you’re home, this notification can give you time to exit the home from another location or secure your family in a safe room in the home; it’s best not to confront someone trying to break in. These sensors can also be programmed to trigger loud alarms that should scare off an intruder. Alarms are particularly important if you have opted not to install glass security film; the loud alarm may convince a burglar who has smashed the glass to run immediately without taking anything once they’ve broken the glass on the door.
Source: BobVila
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