Sliding glass doors are an excellent addition to your home. They let in a fantastic amount of light, encourage overflow from home into the garden, and provide beautiful, uninterrupted views. However, some people say they hold a security risk that makes them not worth using in your home. What truth is there?
Why People View Sliding Glass Doors as a Security Risk
There are three main reasons people believe sliding glass doors are a security risk in the home.
- All that glass. Burglars can break windows to gain access to a home. How much more they will break a glass door to gain access. If a burglar has the choice between breaking a window and climbing through or breaking a glass door, they are going to aim for the door.
- Smaller locks. A sliding glass door style does not usually allow large, beefy, secure locks. In fact, in many cases, they are held by a simple latch lock.
- The door frame. A lock is only as strong as the door frame.
Fortunately, these issues are fixable, meaning you can have a home with high security and keep your sliding glass door.
The Window Problem
When buying your sliding glass door, consider the materials that factories make them in. You can get a basic glass door and suffer the security issue, or you can have a sliding glass door where the glass uses a stronger material that can reinforce it. Consider the following glass materials when choosing your sliding glass door:
- Triple glazed glass.
- Reinforced glass.
- Impact glass.
- Security glass.
All of the above are harder to break, better for your home energy ratings, and shatter more safely if someone does manage to break one.
The Door Frame
By ensuring that your door frame is installed correctly and uses a sturdy material, you are ensuring the safety of your home. A lock on a door is only as secure as the doorframe. You can install state-of-the-art locks, but using a cheap plastic door frame will not do you any good.
Consider using aluminum, fiberglass, or sturdy wood when choosing your door frame.
The Lock Problem
It is easy to update the locks on your sliding glass doors. Many options are available to you, including smart locks, anti-pick locks, and deadbolts, offering high-security features that keep your door secure. If you don’t want to replace the whole lock, you can add extra locks inside your sliding door to reinforce the original lock, such as a durable latch.
You can even install safety locks with designs specific to sliding glass doors. For these, you will want to be looking at sliding door locks, bar locks, or security rod locks.
If in doubt, consider talking to your local locksmith for expert advice and assistance installing the right locks for your home.
Your Miami Locksmiths
The Security and Lock Corporation in Miami knows everything there is to know about getting your home security right. Not only can they help you find the best locks for your sliding glass doors they can improve your home security through the use of motion sensors and alarm systems.
Contact us today through our contact us page or give us a call at (305) 846-9360, so we can help you make your home secure for you and your family.
