In this blog entry, our team of Raleigh lock installation experts and Raleigh sliding door lock installation professionals will detail the most important things to know about locks for sliding doors.
Why are sliding glass doors considered to provide poor security?
Sliding glass doors are regularly left unlocked, are often made of easily broken tempered glass, are transparent so they show off what’s in your home, have easy-to-pick locks, and are usually located in your backyard where neighbors might not be able to spot a burglar break-in attempt.
How can burglars access sliding glass doors?
Burglars often simply break through the latch-type locks on sliding glass doors, lift a sliding door out of its track and frame, or easily break through its glass!
Can sliding doors get locked?
Usually the locks that come with sliding glass doors from the factory are not high quality. Some sliding glass doors that have vinyl frames have bolt mechanisms or fasteners that aren’t even situated inside the frame itself – indicating very poor security. Our expert Raleigh locksmith services can easily reinforce your sliding glass door lock, or replace it if necessary.
What are some different ways that sliding glass doors can be secured?
We recommend installing a jimmy plate over the sliding door frame to block the door and prevent it from being able to get pried off. You can also install security bars that fold and brace against the door to lock it – or simply place a solid dowel or wooden brick inside the door track from the inside when the door is closed. Our team can additionally install a strong second lock installed on the back of the slider or on the top rail of the door on its track or frame. Just make sure that the lock is in compliance with your building code – you need to be able to operate the sliding glass door from the inside without a key for safety. Some additional options for securing sliding glass doors are the installation of security door alarm sensors, glass-breakage sensors, and protective window film – as well as upgrading the door to impact resistant materials (hurricane-proof sliding doors).
What are the most common types of sliding door locks?
The main type of sliding glass door locks are two-bolt locks. Two-bolt locks are effective and affordable – and can be installed at any level of the door. Two-bolt locks slide a powerful steel bolt directly into the frame when locked, giving extra support and security to the latch.
Today, many people are opting to protect sliding glass doors with smart locks. These keyless security options can be activated from inside or outside the door – and often provide stronger security than typical slider door locks. Simply use a keypad – or a code on your smartphone – to enter a code to enter your property. These locks also have special options to program temporary access codes for guests, friends, babysitters, petsitters, cleaners, contractors, or any other visitor. They make it easy to change or revoke codes at any time, or even have time-sensitive codes that only work between specific hours of the day.