How to Secure a Sliding Glass Door

You adore your sliding glass door for the convenient access it creates to your backyard retreat and the bounty of daylight it welcomes in. These entryways are beneficial elements of any Jacksonville home, but also come with safety risks. See why they’re preferred by intruders and what you might do to avoid break-ins.

Why sliding glass doors are common targets in Jacksonville

As sought-after as sliding glass doors are to families, they’re also tempting to thieves. There are a few reasons why. To begin with, they are commonly designed more for aesthetics than security. The majority don’t have deadbolts, and their locking mechanisms are typically easy to bypass. They’re also installed at the rear of your Jacksonville home, giving prowlers an improved chance to approach without being seen. 

How do intruders bypass sliding doors?

When you have clear days and nice temperatures, your sliding glass door may be the most-utilized doorway at your house. You may get in a routine of leaving it open so your children can easily go back and forth to the yard. Even if you secure the door, determined prowlers can bypass it. Here’s how:

• Manipulate the lock. Many sliding glass doors have basic locks that burglars can circumvent with a simple tool.
• Smash the glass. Prowlers are more inclined to shatter glass when they’re hidden from sight. The thin glass of countless sliding doors is not difficult to smash.
• Remove the door from its track. Thieves could attempt to force the door off of its track and pull it away from the frame with a crowbar or other equipment so they may squeeze through.

Despite the fact that it’s easy to bypass sliding glass doors, it’s also easy to improve your security. Discover how you can make it happen.

Better protect your Jacksonville home’s sliding glass door

If you’re ready to enhance the security of one of the most vulnerable doors in your Jacksonville house, here’s how to do so.

• Incorporate surveillance cameras. When potential thieves see video cameras at your property, they’ll probably try to locate a less secure target. They don’t want to be captured on camera. You can even get surveillance systems that actively deter prowlers with sound and lights.
• Integrate security sensors. Connect glass break and contact sensors within your integrated security system. The alarm will go off if an unwanted guest tries to intrude or smash the glass. Modern systems will also alert you with updates to your home security smartphone app.
• Install a more secure lock. Replace or complement your standard flip lock with a sliding glass door deadbolt. Foot bolt locks are popular solutions and straightforward to secure. You can also choose a more robust, key-operated deadbolt.
• Add a reinforcement bar. A security bar or brace is a traditional approach that adds one more layer to your security. These are typically solid wood reinforcements fitted within the door’s lower track. Make sure it’s measured properly for a secure fit.

Open the door to improved security with a Vivint smart home in Jacksonville

Better protect your sliding glass door and all your home’s entryways with an integrated smart home in Jacksonville from Vivint. We offer all the devices you need, from cameras to door and window sensors. If anything triggers, you and your 24-hour monitoring experts will be informed immediately. Reach out to (904) 977-6139 today to get more information and arrange your professional installation.