Make Your Sliding Glass Door Safer

People tend to put great effort into making sure their front door is secure. Most have a keyed entry doorknob and dead a bolt. Then, some upgrade to smart locks and install a video doorbell for extra safety. Others may add burglar bars. Yet, with all this attention to front door security, many overlook the vulnerability of the glass sliding door in the back. Most glass is simple to break, the basic latch locks are easy to finagle, and they can be pulled off the track from outside. So what can you do to make your sliding glass door safer and less of a target? Here are five ideas.

1. Blocking Bar

This is one of the oldest tricks in the book, but people still use it as a way of making a sliding glass door safer because it’s still effective. Get a stick that is half an inch shorter than the distance between the door and the door jamb and place it in the track. This will prevent anyone from sliding the door open, even if they managed to disable the lock. You can make one as simple as getting a cheap broom, cutting off the handle, and making the right size. If you would prefer a more aesthetic option, you can find decorative blocking bars online.

The main downside to blocking bars is that it can be annoying or difficult for some people to bend down and remove the bar whenever they want to go out the door, especially if you use the door frequently. (Looking at you, cat. Do you want to be in or out? Make up your mind already). If you want a solution that is more convenient in the long run and don’t mind a slightly more involved installation, you could install a security bar. These are higher up and swing up and down to block and unblock the door.

2. Alternative Lock System

As an alternate solution or in addition to barricading the door, you could upgrade the latch to a better lock. A double bolt lock especially will be far more secure than a basic latch and make your sliding glass door safer.

3. Get a Security System

Burglars are more likely to target homes without a security system, so getting a security system and placing the cameras and ya­rd sign in conspicuous locations automatically makes your home safer.

4. Door Sensor

As part of your home security package, install a door sensor on your sliding door. This way, you will always know when someone goes in or out while you are home, and it will trigger the alarm system if someone opens the door while you are away and have the alarm armed. Additionally, should someone try removing the door from the track to get in, they will move the sensor, and it will likewise notify you or trigger the alarm.

5. Glass Break Sensor

An easy way for a burglar to bypass a door sensor would be to simply break the glass, but if you install a glass break sensor, it will also trigger the alarm should the would-be burglar try this.