2022 experienced a summer that kept on giving! Over the last few months, we have experienced some truly gorgeous sunny weather, and the majority of us have thrown open our windows and doors to allow fresh air to circulate and cool down our houses and apartments.
However, burglary rates tend to rise along with the temperature: burglaries were up from 16,294 in April to 17,274 in July, with a burglary occurring every 106 seconds (Review42). It’s even more important to consider how to secure your home in the summer months. Lots of us have French doors and sliding doors in rooms which allow direct access to the garden. This is a fantastic feature to have, and is great for opening up access to green space, and bringing the outdoors in. Nevertheless, remembering to secure your sliding glass door after a day outside is crucial in order to stop burglars taking advantage of easy access into your house. Take a look below to find out some of the best ways to secure your sliding glass door, and keep your house secure during the warmer weather.
Check your door frame
If you are considering getting sliding doors put in, it is important to ensure the door frame is sturdy enough to support locking mechanisms. Sliding doors come in different styles, so consider if you want one or both doors to slide, and how you will be able to secure them effectively. Applying a shatterproof window film to the sliding door also enhances security, in giving an additional layer of protection.
Install a sliding glass door lock
It may be stating the obvious, but fitting a lock that is specially designed for sliding glass doors is key to ensuring the door is as burglar proof as it can be. Sliding glass door locks are an addition to the standard lock which the doors will come with, and give additional protection. They are attached at the top of the door, meaning they can’t accidentally be tampered with by children, and make it impossible to force the door open. Sliding door locks also come with the added benefit of 2 settings; for when the door is locked completely, or locked with a gap to allow air circulation in a secure way.
Install a deadbolt or door brace
If you want to add even more security, then it might be worth considering a deadbolt or door brace to help secure your sliding glass doors. Most sliding doors permit the addition of a deadbolt, and is ideal for ensuring the door can’t slide back. For French doors, we would recommend the addition of a door brace, which can withstand a lot of pressure. They ensure that the doors remain in place, however much force is applied and even if the doors are unlocked. We can supply and fit a great range of locks, and our expert locksmiths are happy to talk you through which lock would work best for you.
Install CCTV
It’s now a common occurrence to have a camera fitted at the front of the house, but it could also be a good idea to install one at the back, for added security and more peace of mind. We install the Yale Smart Home CCTV, which connects straight to your smartphone, and can be set up to record continuously or when motion is detected. We also fit PIR Sensors, which detect movement and sound an alarm when movement is detected.
Follow our steps to make sure you know how to secure your sliding door, and get in touch today with one of our local locksmiths who will be happy to help. Make sure to check out our other great blog posts about how to protect against common methods used to enter your home, as well as the 5 benefits of changing your locks, so you can be as protected as possible.
