The Problem With Sliding Doors: Why They Need Extra Security

Here in Arizona, we enjoy gorgeous weather for most of the year except during the hottest months. That’s why so many Phoenix area homes have sliding glass doors. They offer us easy access to our patios and backyards and are a great way to allow lots of light indoors. But what makes your home more beautiful to you, makes it a choice target for burglars.

That’s because your sliding glass doors make your home extremely vulnerable. That convenient exit to your patio is also a welcome sign to burglars. The problem with sliding glass doors is they make your home a target for thieves and other types of bad guys. Here’s why sliding glass doors need extra security.

• Sliding glass doors are hidden from view: Sliding glass doors are often located at the rear or side of your house. This means they’re at least partially hidden from view and your neighbors. Sure that gives you added privacy, but it also means a burglar won’t be seen breaking into your home.

• Sliding glass doors are often unlocked: According to the FBI’s most recent Uniform Crime Reporting data in 2010 just over 33% of burglaries involved no force, meaning through unlocked doors. Even when homeowners are diligent about locking doors and windows, sliding glass doors are often forgotten, especially when you’re in a hurry.

• The locks on sliding glass doors are easy to pick: Most of the locks that come with sliding glass doors are nothing more than a latch so even if you are consistent about locking your sliding door before you leave or at night, they might as well be unlocked. Burglars can open them just by shaking the door a little. It only takes seconds to jimmy open a locked slider.

• Burglars can see into your home through sliding glass doors: Because sliding glass doors are also windows, they offer thieves a showcase of what’s in your house. Burglars can see if you have expensive electronics, furniture, might have a hidden wall safe, everything that’s in the main areas of your home.

• Sliding glass doors are made of glass: You might think burglars don’t want to break glass because to you it’s a mess or makes a noise. To thieves, however, even if you have an alarm system, often view breaking your sliding glass door as the easiest way to get into your home, even if your home asleep. Often the doors aren’t alarmed, just the frame and the glass is safety glass which means they won’t get cut.

Now that you’re aware of the problem with sliding glass doors and why they need extra security, you might be tempted to get rid of yours or invest in multiple security measures, but there actually is a much simpler solution. If you just install custom security screen doors over your sliding glass doors, you will make your home closed to thieves for good.

Custom security doors solve every vulnerability we mentioned above. They cover your doors so thieves can’t what’s in your house and can’t get to the glass to break it. Security doors have very secure, nearly impossible to pick locks. Plus a custom screen door can add something unique to your backyard or porch because they don’t look like prison bars. You can choose a design or create one of your own that matches your house’s decor. If you already have a security screen door on your front door, you can even match the design on your slider’s security door to it.

Here at Eco Advantage, we love answering your questions about custom security doors. Call us today or leave a comment below.