Locks for sliding glass doors

Most homes, condos and apartments here in Federal Way, WA have one or more sliding glass doors. These doors offer ease of access as they simply slide over enough to allow entry or exit while providing a clear and sometimes picturesque view of whatever is on the outside. By all accounts, sliding glass doors are useful but they can have drawbacks when it comes to security. For one thing; most of these doors are on the back or side of the home giving burglars better protection from being seen from the street. Also, since they slide over so much, there is ample room for the crook to not only enter; but to fit your furniture and other belongings through the sliding door opening.

You may be wondering; what good is an extra lock on your sliding glass door when a burglar or home invader can just smash the glass and step inside? Sometimes they actually do that but usually the noise and possibility of broken glass injury are deterrents. Many people go in and out of glass doors so much; they don’t bother to lock them at all. Crooks know this and they often enter the premises easily, quickly and noiselessly by simply walking right in.

Even locking your sliding glass door at night or when you’re away is often not enough. The locks that come with these doors are usually not of the highest quality and can be bypassed by intruders quite easily. The need for an additional lock is great and often just the sight of having to bypass two locks is enough to make your would-be robber move on to “lower hanging fruit.”

So what can you do?

First of all, start by locking your sliding glass door before retiring at night or whenever you leave the house, even if it’s for a short while. Get your partner, children or roommates to do the same. Not to be paranoid, but statistics show that not only here in Federal Way, but all over the country, intruders often just enter homes at all hours of the day or night because of unlocked doors.

Next, you can get a replacement bar for your glass door. These stretch the entire length of the door and since they are made of reinforced metal, they offer that extra bit of protection and peace of mind. Just be sure to get a sturdy bar and install it securely and correctly. An ill-fitting one that is made of cheap material will offer little to no extra protection and is simply not worth the effort.

What about broom handles?

Broom handles, plastic PVC tubing and even two by fours are often inserted in the tracks at the base of the sliding glass doors. Here at Federal Way Washington Locksmith we feel that these are better than nothing but if you use them, make sure that it is only temporary. Here’s why. Your sliding door rests on rollers. These are what make it easy to slide the glass door open and shut. Have you ever had these repaired, replaced or adjusted? The repair man simply lifts the door off of the lower track and removes it! A burglar knows to do the same thing and no broom handle or plastic pipe can prevent that.

Use a pin lock!

One of the best ways to prevent your sliding glass door from being lifted off the tracks is to use a pin lock. These inexpensive locks also have a secondary benefit; they prevent the door from opening in case you forgot to lock it. Pin locks can be purchased at hardware stores, locksmith shops and from local retailers like Wal-Mart, Lowes, Home Depot and Best Buy. You can buy them online, too. Check Amazon, Craigslist and the websites from the stores listed above. You’ll need a drill and a screwdriver to do the installation and it should take you less than 30 minutes depending on your speed and skill with tools. When entering your key words in the search engines for pin locks be sure to add the words “pin locks for sliding glass doors” and you should be good to go.

You can also find How To installation videos on Vimeo, YouTube and other video sites. If you feel confident in your ability to install the lock; do so. If not, you can call a handyman or local locksmith and get it done professionally. When checking for rates, be sure and specify that you want just the lock or the lock AND installation. If you have more than one sliding glass door, be sure and outfit the others with pin locks, as well.

Steel mortise locks

If you are looking for greater sliding glass door lock security that also looks good, be sure to check out mortise locks made of steel. These sturdy locks should be installed by professionals and they cost a little more than pin locks. You can purchase them from Amazon if you feel confident at do-it-yourself work or you can go through a local Federal Way, WA locksmith. You can even buy the lock(s) online and have your locksmith do the installations for you. These locks are installed directly into your door frame and are reversible so that they can be mounted on left hand or right hand sliding doors. Many lock manufacturers offer an installation video online that can be viewed for those that like being their own handyman.

Final tips

As you can see, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to make your sliding glass door(s) safer and less susceptible to burglars. Just use common sense and lock your doors more often and at crucial times. Remember, you see your glass door as a convenient portal to the outside. A burglar sees it as a sliding access to your home’s interior and to your belongings. Upgrade your sliding glass door locks or simply add a good pin lock and start enjoying added peace of mind and protection for you and your loved ones.