Home Alarms Systems

Many homes and apartments feature patio doors, due to the natural lighting, and the view they provide makes them a very popular feature in any home or apartment design. However, unfortunately, this also makes them a prime target for burglars. When it comes to door securtiy, glass patio doors are vulnerable.

Sliding door sashes are usually made of aluminum, vinyl or wood and are set in a metal or wood frame. Nowadays the majority of frames are set in aluminum. The average patio door configuration consists of an inner sliding panel and a stationary outer one, sometimes doors with 4 sliding panels can be found as well. Glass exterior sliding doors are usually double glazed, this is to reinforce the glass against impact.

The average sliding glass patio door has a single locking mechanism, thats placed midway on the ouside sliding panel at the upper section of the door. The bolt will engage the lip of the “keeper mount” or strike plate thats mounted on the door frame. These locks can be flimsy due to space
limitations that can render them ineffective. It can be quite easy to pry that type of lock with a simple tool, or cut with a hacksaw, some doors that have an especially large space between panel and frame and can simply be jiggled out of place. If a patio door is loose fitting in the upper and lower tracks, many theives have been known to simply lift the door slightly upwards thus disengaging the hook from the strike plate allowing the door to open.

When considering a proper door security system  there are a few other weak areas of your standard glass patio door besides the lock.

As mentioned sometimes patio doors can be lifted off of their tracks even when closed. Some have stationary panels that are fitted with retaining brackets that have screws facing from the outside, allowing the intruder to simply unscrew the brackets and removing the door altogether.

Patio doors have also been known to have been forced apart where the doors overlap and the theives just reach in and undo the locks from the inside. There have been cases where burglars have broken the glass, however this is less common as the reinforced glass can be quite strong and some have been known to withstand the blow of a sledghammer.

So what are the solutions to ensuring proper door security?

There are a number of common door security devices that you may find at your local hardware store. Safety bars, auxiliary locks and jimmy plates. These are the most effective measures to take to reinforce ineffective locks on patio doors. The best thing is to use these devices in combination to prevent the vertical, horizontal and rotation movement of the door.

Jimmy Plates are made to eliminate vertical play that prevents the burglar from lifitng the door off of its tracks . The jimmy plate is usually installed in the upper door channel section.

It is also possible to install large pan head screws to the inside of the upper track. Simply place the screw approx 10 inches apart and just close enough to the door panel to prevent the patio door from rotating with out inhibiting the sliding of the door in its track.

While jimmy plates a effective to prevent the vertical or rotation movement of the door, a good ‘door bar ‘ or brace is effective against horizontal movement.

Also known as a ‘charlie bar’ this door security device is placed on the door jamb opposite from the sliding panel. These are sometimes attached to glass of the stationary panel to prevent the motion between the 2 panels. ‘Charlie bars usually come with retaining brackets to conveniently
hold them out of the way you want to use the door.  Door bars are very inexpensive and easy to install, just make sure to aquire solid steel door bars and not the hollow  aluminum ones.

Considering auxiliary locks, there is a wide variety of different types of locks for use with patio sliding doors to supplement the existing locks.

The basic lock uses a standard slide or dead bolt of hardened steel and has an easily operated knob or twist turn function. These would be installed on the inside edge of the door. Go to your local hardware store and inquire about what would be the best lock for your door. Make sure to tell the sales person what type of patio door you have, ex, steel, wood, or vinyl so as to choose the right  type of lock for your door type.
Avoid auxiliary locks that require keys or other complex mechanisms to open the door as many will not adhere to building codes and also can be a saftey hazard if one is in need of a hasty escape do to a fire or some other emergency.

All in all it is also important to practice good security measures at all times. Make sure all doors and windows are properly locked when you are away. Keep some lights on inside and outside the house if you are away in the evening, alert your neighbor if going away on an extended trip.
Never announce on your answering machine that you are away on vacation. Keep your yard clear of shrubs near the doors and windows to eliminate possible hiding places for intruders.

If you live in an area that’s prone to crime you may also want to consider replacing the glass part of your doors with polycarbonate plastic or tempered, wired glass. Although this can be expensive it is definitely worth the extra security for your assets and family’s safety.

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