Importance of Securing Your Sliding Glass Door
It doesn’t take long for a burglar to break into your home. Usually, all it takes is about 60 seconds. When someone’s home is broken into, it usually occurs in the back of the house or side. Breaking into a home from the front leaves an intruder too exposed. It isn’t unusual for everyone to lock their doors and windows but what we notice at Hemet Locksmith in Hemet, CA is that people often forget to lock their sliding doors that lead to their patios. This is something that a burglar is banking on your doing. If you have a sliding door, you may be a prime target in your neighborhood. Every window and door of your home should be locked up but especially those areas that are not in clear sight of the public. Since your sliding glass door is so easy to compromise, it helps to always make sure the door is looked before you leave. Don’t overlook this door because it is likely that if someone breaks into your home, this will be one of the areas they will target.
There is a reason why so many burglars will try to break into your home through the sliding glass door. If you want to know why this is the case, take a look at the reasons we have listed for you below:
Easy Entry
Most sliding doors only have one lock to keep them shut. This is why it is easy for a burglar to get the inside with just a screwdriver. Anyone, even an inexperienced burglar, can get through a sliding door if there isn’t another look on the door. The doors themselves are not always the sturdiest and this is why it is sometimes difficult to even add another lock. However, when you seek the services of an expert locksmith, they will be able to determine which type of locks will be most effective for sliding doors.
No Privacy
One of the appeals of having sliding glass doors is that you can let natural light into your home. While this may be an appealing feature to many homeowners, it can also be one of the things that leaves you susceptible to a home invasion. Since this is what makes this type of door appealing to some people, it stands to reason that they wouldn’t want to put any window coverings over it. However, without a tinted sliding door or some type of window coverings over the door, you lack the privacy needed in order to keep thieves from seeing what you have in your home. You are putting yourself in danger of a home intrusion without concealing the things in your home from others. A burglar will be more prone to breaking into a home when they know what is inside. If they don’t know what’s inside, they may not take the chance of being caught. Expensive electronics make it worth it for many burglars. Don’t give them the advantage of knowing what’s in your home. If you have a sliding door, we encourage you to tint it or put something over it to keep others from peering inside.
They Are Quiet
It is often possible to hear a door when it is opening and closing, however, not when you have sliding doors. You might have hinges that need to be oiled that can be heard when the door is opened and closed. The door may slam shut and this can quickly alert you of an intrusion. A sliding door just glides easily over the track of the door and doesn’t make much noise, if any. Since the sliding door doesn’t make such noise, it is no reason why someone would target it as a point of entry into your home.
Solutions for Securing Your Sliding Door
Add reinforced lock
The first and most logical thing to do is add reinforced locks to your door. The latch and hook lock just doesn’t do much to keep out an intruder, if they are determined to get inside. It is simple to open a sliding door and this is why we recommend that you add another lock. Reinforce the lock with an auxiliary lock that can be opened from inside. This is one of the most effective solutions for securing your sliding door.
Install Home Alarm
If you have an existing home alarm, you should simply ask that the locksmith company add the sliding door to your home alarm system. This means that even when someone attempts to break into your home through the sliding door, you will quickly be alerted via your alarm system. Although this is a practical way to avoid a break-in through your sliding door, many homeowners fail to have the door connected to their security system. If you do not have a home security system, we strongly encourage you to invest in one. When you do, it goes without saying that you should make sure your sliding glass door is included in the systems access point alerts.
Commercial Grade Locks
You don’t only have to use commercial locks on a commercial business. You can also use commercial locks in your home. Using a commercial lock simply means that you are afforded a better lock. They are usually more durable than the standard locks used on home doors. There are a variety of commercial locks that can be used on your sliding glass door. Consult with your local locksmith to find out which commercial locks are available to you.
These are just a few adjustments that can be made to increase your chances of avoiding a break-in through your sliding door. There are some other practical and inexpensive solutions that you can employ to help you avoid a break-in. Do something to make sure you’re able to keep your loved ones safe by contacting a reputable locksmith today. You’ will have peace-of-mind and keep by knowing that you’ve done all that you could to improve your homes level of security.