6 Ways You Can Easily Secure Your Sliding Doors
Sliding doors can make your home more appealing but experts hint that they might not be enough to secure your home. In fact, they can be one of your home’s weakest security links.
Sliding doors are often used as back doors. Because of their location, they are often overlooked by owners and taken advantage of by burglars. They are vulnerable and unlike your front door, they can be a lot trickier to secure.
But what makes sliding doors weak?
Aside from location, sliding doors are also quieter. Unlike the other doors in your home that would make a sound as they close, these doors don’t generally make a noise as they slide in their tracks. They are also more open which can make it easy for burglars to assess the structure of a house and its content. Homeowners only need to leave their curtains up for a short period of time and burglars can quickly get an idea of where they should go first. Plus, sliding doors are really easy to unlock, particularly by seasoned and expert burglars.
In case you’re struggling with securing your sliding doors, here are a few security tricks you can try:
1. Fortify the locks
Sliding doors typically come with latch-like locks that hook to door frames. Considering how easy this type of lock is to pick, they may not be enough if you want to keep potential burglars out. To reinforce your sliding door, you can add locks that can only be secured and accessed from the inside.
However, before you change your locks, make sure to test your door first. You wouldn’t want to go the extra mile of buying and installing a new lock only to find out that its slider isn’t working. Aside from the slider, you should also check if the actual door still fits its frame.Weather changes and temperature can surely create changes in your locks and doors.
2. Use dowels
Upgrading your security doesn’t always have to be expensive. In fact, just by using a wooden dowel, you can greatly augment your door’s security.
If you don’t have any wooden dowel at hand, you can cut an old broom and take its wooden handle. Measure the length you’ll need to cover the track on your door. You need to make sure that it’s the right length and that it’ll fit snugly. In case a burglar gets successful in picking your door lock, he won’t be able to open your door. A metal bar can also be a good alternative.
3. Take proper care of your door’s rollers and tracks
Through time, dirt and even insects can stay and accumulate on your door rollers. Once the pile becomes too much, it can prevent your door from closing tightly against its frame. Since it is loose, there’s also a good chance that burglars can easily lift it off of its track.
After cleaning the parts and you still think that the door still isn’t fitting properly, then the problem could probably be with its size. Some doors come with adjustment pins and knobs which you can use to maneuver the rollers to the right size. If you are having trouble making the adjustments, you can always ask for the help of your trusted repairman.
4. Add coverings to your glass sliding doors
If you have a glass sliding door, then adding some form of cover can surely help. Curtains and even opaque blinds can prevent other people from taking a peek at what’s inside your home. They can also help you hide your absence.
Because burglars like to scout their target properties prior to their attacks, make sure that you always pull the covers down, particularly if you’ll be out of the house. If you have the money to invest in your home’s security, you can buy remote controlled draperies so you can easily pull down your curtains even if you’re at work.
5. Wire your door to your home security system
One of the best ways to secure your home is by adding a home security system. To ensure your door’s covered, you can ask the technician to wire the system to your sliding doors so that you’ll get notified in case they were opened unexpectedly. You can ask for this setup at the time of your system’s installation or you can ask your security provider if they can make the necessary modifications.
If hardwiring your security isn’t feasible, you can simply add contact sensors on the inside of your door. These sensors are sensitive enough to detect even an inch gap between your door and the door frame.
6. Add a security camera
While a home security system can detect and alert you of intruders, a security camera can let you see if it’s really an intruder trying to get inside your door. Also, other than the extra peace of mind, just the presence of a security camera pointing at your door can be another good way of discouraging burglary.
In setting up your camera, make sure that there’s enough light to let you see people or objects clearly. You can place it high on your wall to increase your viewing angle. Investing in a camera that supports night vison is also a great way to secure your doors.
Sliding doors, just like your front door, require special attention when it comes to security. Since they are particularly vulnerable to burglary, you should take that as a hint to take extra measures to secure them before any intrusion happens. Awareness and responsible home ownership are two things that can help you protect your biggest investment.