Sliding glass doors are commonplace in many homes. They offer indoor/outdoor living with ease, letting in beautiful natural light and providing easy access. Unfortunately, this makes them easy targets for burglars. Luckily there are steps you can take to protect sliding glass doors.
At Glenco we specialise in quality security systems for your Sydney home. In this article, we discuss how to protect sliding glass doors from burglars. We look at the most common way burglars gain entrance and share ‘how-to’ steps to prevent it from happening.
Reasons why sliding glass doors can be a security problem
Traditional sliding glass doors have one fixed panel and one that opens to the outdoors. They are often located at the back of a house which keeps them out of view. The locks can be simplistic and easily broken. This makes them targets for criminals. Let’s take a closer look at the risks:
- Out of view – sliding glass doors are often located at the back of the house to let in views of the garden. While this is a beautiful feature, it makes them a perfect break-in point for burglars. It means they can break in undetected and out of street view.
- The locks are simplistic – the type of lock on generic sliding doors is often a simple latch which burglars can easily get past.
- Left unlocked – because of the location of sliding doors, it can be tempting to leave them unlocked. Unfortunately, criminals know this so will often try it as their first point of entry.
- Breakable glass – most sliding doors are made of tempered glass which is easily broken.
How do you protect sliding glass doors in your home?
Knowing the above information may make you feel uneasy, but luckily there are simple things you can do to protect sliding glass doors:
Test out your lock
A lot of sliding doors come with generic locks which are easily broken. There is a simple way to remedy this. Lock your sliding door and firmly try to open it. If the door doesn’t budge, then your lock should be secure. If the door moves or opens, then you will need to replace the lock. It may be worth hiring a professional to install a top-quality secure lock.
Install a slide-locking bar
This is a very simple trick and a great way to protect sliding glass doors from burglars. Measure the door’s track inside your home and find a metal bar or wooden pole which fits. You may find something lying around in your shed, or head to your local hardware store to purchase it. Every day when you leave or at night when you go to sleep, simply put the bar in the track. It will protect sliding glass doors, even if the lock is bypassed.
Apply one-way window film
If you are concerned about people being able to see inside your sliding glass door you can apply a one-way film. This film will allow you to see out, but people will not be able to see inside. It is an added security comfort that is easily installed. However, at night-time with lights on the film will not work so you may also consider installing blinds.
Switch to impact-resistant sliding doors
Impact-resistant glass doors are designed to withstand heavy impact. This makes them hard to break. If you are concerned about the strength of your existing glass doors, then this is a good investment. Strong glass is a great way to protect sliding glass doors from burglars. Especially if you have installed a new lock.
Install glass-break detectors or security sensors
Glass-break detectors set off an alarm if an attempt to break the glass is detected. A door sensor will sound an alarm if a burglar tries to pry the door open. Both of these are great deterrents to scare off potential burglars.
We can help to address your security concerns
If you’ve ever wondered how to protect sliding glass doors from burglars, we hope this article answered some of your questions. Having sliding glass doors shouldn’t leave you feeling anxious about potential burglars. At Glenco, we want our clients to feel safe in their homes. We offer a range of security systems with professional installation services. Give us a call to discuss any concerns you may have.
