A lot of homeowners make an all too ordinary mistake when it comes to protecting their house: Relying on the patio door locks that come equipped on standard sliding glass doors. While lots of people feel that their sliding doors are protected sufficiently, it’s mostly due to the fact that lots of them aren’t aware of the fact that patio doors may be one of the easiest points of entry for a burglar.
Sliding doors are secured by latches, not locks
Among the lots of reasons that burglars favor sliding glass doors because their point of entry is the fact that the mechanisms that are holding them shut aren’t really a lock. Rather, the pins that are holding the slider in place are simple latches. These small pins are responsible for stopping a very large door from being forced open, and unluckily, they don’t always live up to their expectations.
Pins that have been made with inferior craftsmanship or installed by an amateur can frequently become loose and fall out of their position. This really weakens the security, even if nothing seems amiss upon rapid inspection.
Sliders can be easily lifted off of their tracks
Homeowners that neglect to maintain their sliders face more serious issues than the occasionally jammed slider. Intruders find it easier to open doors with worn or badly fitted rollers, albeit their methods may be far different than imagined.
Sliders that are fitted with insufficient rollers can very simply be lifted from their tracks, even from the outside of the house. While a few people may assume that placing a dowel into the tracks will avoid unwanted predators from entering their house, it will only deter them from sliding the door unlock.
Existing patio door locks are also a great option for securing this otherwise vulnerable entryway. Existing patio door locks allow the homeowner to gain entry from the outside, which isn’t standard for most sliders. Having this type of lock may need the work of a residential locksmith baltimore, due to the more difficult installation needs.
