Patio Door Protection Ideas for Better Home Security

Few people like to spend all of their indoor time in a darkened, cave-like home, and research shows it wouldn’t be healthy if they did. Therefore, windows and glass patio doors are essential features to allow natural light to flood your home. It’s also critical to have windows and doors that open and close, not only for convenience but also to provide fresh-air ventilation and emergency exits in case of fire.

Despite the many benefits they provide, however, patio doors and windows also increase your home’s vulnerability to break-ins. Standard windows and sliding glass doors rarely come with ultra-strong locking systems, and the glass that’s used is fairly easy to break. Even more astonishing is the high percentage of “break-ins” that don’t actually involve breaking anything. Security experts say about 30% of burglars gain entry through an unlocked window or door. And who hasn’t forgotten to lock all of their doors and windows when leaving home?

Patio Doors Are Especially Attractive to Crooks

Sliding glass doors can increase the vulnerability of your home to break-ins exponentially because they usually don’t face the street, making it easier for burglars to access your home unseen. And even if you faithfully keep your patio doors locked, the chances are that they don’t have a strong-enough locking system to keep a burglar out.

Make Your Home Less Susceptible to Forced Entry

Burglars typically like to get in and out of their targets unnoticed and within 10 minutes or less. If you beef up your home with the innovations listed below, you can enjoy all the benefits of your sliding glass doors while minimizing your risk for a break-in.

Impact-Resistant Glass

Impact glass for windows and patio doors was developed to prevent residential hurricane damage, but it’s also nearly impossible for an intruder to breach.

Home Security System

Having an alarm system, security cameras, and motion-detection lights installed at your home will cause most burglars to look for an easier target.

Smart Locks

It almost goes without saying that your sliding glass door should have an advanced locking system, like a dual-point mortise lock. An even better investment is an automated keyless lock that works through voice activation or a connected smart device. There are many options for smart locks, including some that will allow you to remotely check whether you locked your patio doors and lock them if you forgot.

At NewSouth Window Solutions, we offer impact-resistant sliding glass doors that have strong locking systems, and we expertly install them for homeowners in many communities throughout the South. Contact us today if you’d like to learn more.