Top 5 Ways to Secure Sliding Glass Door From Burglars

Nowadays it can be said that most modern residential homes have a sliding glass door that provides either access to a patio, a backyard, or a side area. many consider sliding glass doors to be a weak point when it comes to forced entry from a burglar or home invader however in this guide we will be going over some of our top five ways to secure sliding glass doors. It's important not to neglect the security of a sliding glass door as home security is only as good as its weakest link, which in some cases, is certainly a sliding glass door.

Our top five ways to secure sliding glass doors from burglars include: applying a shatterproof film to the glass. Adding blocking bars into the track of the glass door. Adding window locks in addition to locking bars to help mitigate the door from being opened. Surrounding the door with an alarm system that is visible to a potential intruder. And finally, ensuring that the sliding glass door itself has a strong lock with a latch that is powerful enough to withstand someone pulling on it.

It's important to always keep a sliding glass door properly maintained and to regularly do checks to make sure they are working correctly.

1. Shatterproof Film

When it comes to our customers asking us how they can improve the security of their sliding glass door from break in attacks, our go-to answer is generally applying a shatterproof film to the glass and a blocking bar if necessary. Applying shatterproof film is generally a cost-effective solution that can be either transparent or tinted to help with the Sun, and it will ensure that the glass is harder to break. applying a shatterproof film to a sliding glass door might be a good idea if living in an area with frequent hurricanes as it could also help with that.

Besides using shatterproof film, many companies also sell impact-resistant sliding glass doors which can achieve the same result. Some companies sell hurricane proof sliding glass doors that can withstand bricks and other hard objects being hurled at them at very fast speeds. Shatterproof film is generally regarded as the more cost-effective solution out of the two.

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2. Blocking Bars

Blocking bars are generally placed in the tracks of a sliding glass door to prohibit the glass door from opening, as the blocking bar will not allow the door to be opened. Blocking bars are generally just straight pieces of metal or wood. Many companies will sell blocking bars online, however, we generally suggest that customers go to a dollar store for a cheap wooden broom and cut the handle to fit the perfect size of their sliding glass door. This may be the most cost-effective solution but metal will always be stronger than wood against a brute force attack.

3. Window Locks or Security Pins

Window locks are sometimes able to be used on sliding glass doors and they can add extra layers of security. Window locks and other sliding patio door locks can be screwed onto the frame or track to prohibit the door from opening, similar to a blocking bar. Security pins can be added also. With a security pin, a homeowner will drill a hole through the bottom right interior corner of the sliding door and partially into the frame, big enough for a metal pin to fit into. A security pin is a hardened steel pin that can be placed into the hole and will hold the two doors together.

4. Alarm System & Glass Break Detector

A good way to secure sliding glass doors from a break-in attempt will be to surround the outside of the door with alarm system notifications. It has been proven that burglars are less likely to invade a residence if there is a presence of an alarm system. In addition to an alarm system for the sliding glass door, it's also highly recommended to add a glass break detector on the glass. This is generally a simple and cost-effective solution that, when done correctly, will trigger a loud alarm as soon as the sliding glass door’s glass is broken.

Nowadays it's very possible to get do-it-yourself alarm kits which are pretty affordable. While an alarm system might not do anything to physically secure the door, it has been indicated by the F. B. I. that burglars are 2.7 times more likely to target homes without alarm systems. Many products are on the market that don't have subscription fees or installation costs besides purchasing of the original unit itself. An alarm system works well with a motion-triggered floodlight covering the outside of the sliding glass door. Many alarm systems today can be synced with the homeowners smartphone, allowing instant messages and alerts. Read about 8 more surprising home burglary facts on Safewise.

5. Strong Locks

It's important not to neglect the locks themselves that are placed on the sliding glass doors and ensure that the latches are secure and strong enough to withstand a forced entry attempt such as a criminal with a crowbar. Sliding glass doors are often considered so vulnerable because of how simple it would be to throw a brick through a window or to force the door open. There are many different types of sliding glass door locks that can be found online and at common home department stores, and it may be a good investment if the security of a sliding door is in question.

Summary

We feel that it is also important to mention that protecting the perimeter of the sliding glass door is also important, as well as protecting the actual glass door itself. This means that a sliding glass door that is facing a public alley is more likely to get burglarized than a sliding glass door which is fully equipped with all of the options above, and securely located in a backyard which has strong surrounding walls and extra security attributes such as a guard dog.

It may also be a good idea to consider keeping blinds closed and/or curtains covering sliding glass doors when necessary, like around night time. Maybe consider placing a motion sensor outside on the porch or around the sliding glass door, additionally, motion-detecting floodlights are good preventives for scaring off Intruders. Those who are on a budget might consider installing dummy security cameras around the sliding glass door as it can also help scare off potential intruders.

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