Your patio doors connect your indoor and outdoor space. Like other entry points of your home, it’s important for these doors to be secure as well. Here are some tips for increasing your patio door security:

1. Keep Patio Doors Locked

Although it may seem obvious to lock patio doors when they’re not in use, it’s also easy to forget to check and lock them when you’re done or to make sure they are locked before you leave the house. This is even more true the more things you have going on or people you have around. Often, just having the reminder that the patio door needs to be locked too can be enough to help make sure it isn’t forgotten.

2. Install Window Treatments

If you have sliding glass patio doors, the additional natural light and view to the outside are great. But, it also means people can see into your home. Glass tints, protective film, and more are all ways to add privacy to your windows that can add some privacy to your glass patio doors too.

You can also install window treatments like blinds or curtains to block the view when you want to. Vertical blinds tend to be a popular option since you can block things completely or adjust the slats to let in some light if you don’t want to completely block the view or the light.

3. Use Alarms & Sensors

Another one of the tips for increasing your patio door security is to use alarms and sensors. Using sensors for tampering alerts, when a door is being forced open, or things are broken to trigger an alarm can be a valuable deterrent. It may not reinforce the door directly, but an alarm can certainly help discourage bad actors from sticking around or trying to continue to enter your home.

4. Make Sure Patio Doors Are in Good Shape

Damage, poor installation, and more are all signs it’s time to replace your sliding patio door or other types of patio doors. If it’s been a while since you checked in on your patio doors, take some time to really look over them.

Make sure patio doors are still installed and aligned properly. If you have a sliding door, does it still slide open and closed smoothly? Check for signs of damage, stress, moisture, etc. Also, check your patio door for drafts. These are sure signs your door needs to be replaced.

If you see anything concerning, especially when it comes to damage, consider replacing your patio doors as soon as possible. Replacing damaged doors, windows, and other main access points of your home when needed is one of the top home security tips to protect your home.

Not only does this increase your patio door security and your home security overall, but it also increases curb appeal and adds value to your home. Plus, there are plenty of patio door options, so you can replace it with something similar if you love what you had or you can take the opportunity to upgrade to a look you like better.

5. Use Tracker Blockers on Sliding Patio Doors

Ease of use and more natural light are just some of the benefits of installing sliding glass patio doors. But, these doors also give a view into the home and can be easily accessed by intruders. Because these doors slide open and close on tracks, you can use tracker blockers in addition to locks to increase patio door security.

A tracker blocker is simply a physical obstacle you place in a sliding door track that prevents it from sliding open. In addition to some extra security, this can be a good option to keep young kids from opening the door. You can purchase a tracker blocker for your door or simply cut a piece of wood to the length you need for a quick DIY option.

If you have hinged patio doors, instead of sliding, a tracker blocker won’t work, but you do still have options. In this case, you can get a security brace that prevents the doors from swinging open. You can also opt for patio doors with exterior door jambs, which tend to be sturdier and add extra security.

6. Reinforce the Glass

When it comes to door security, glass is often a weak point. With window options for doors and modern glass options, you can reinforce the glass for added protection. In addition to double or triple-pane glass, you can also opt for security film and protective coatings to reinforce the glass even further. This is one of the tips to improve front door security that you can use to increase your patio door security as well.

7. Add Another Lock

In addition to the lock that comes standard with your patio doors, you can increase your patio door security further by adding another lock. Whatever it is, there should be a secondary locking option that supports what you already have and would act as a backup in case the main lock were to fail.

This could be a deadbolt and/or a chain lock. An additional locking option for sliding patio doors is to add a floor-mounted lock. Heavy-duty floor latches can be installed that allow you to mount and lock the sliding door to the floor. Plus, these latches are usually designed to be easily engaged/disengaged with feet. This locking option prevents sliding doors from being lifted out of their tracks.

Get New Patio Doors With Zephyr Thomas

These are just a few tips for increasing your patio door security. If you need new doors for your home, contact Zephyr Thomas at 717-399-4708 to start a free quote. You can also stop by our showroom to see some door options in person!

Check out the timelapse video below of the Zephyr Thomas team replacing patio doors and siding for this homeowner!