To keep your home safe, you must ensure that all entry points, including front and back doors, windows, and sliding doors, have the proper mechanisms in place to deter customers. While the use of a dead blot is ideal for front doors that are steel-coated, and locks can be installed easily on windows, securing a sliding door is often more challenging. Some tips to help improve the security and safety of any sliding door can be found here.

Test the Current Lock

Most sliding doors have a lock on one side, usually in the handle. This lock consists of a small latch lock that holds the door securely to the frame. Before trying to address any other security issues related to this door, make sure this lock works by closing the door, locking it, and they trying to pull it back open. If the door moves, then the latch isn’t catching the door effectively or it has come loose from the frame of the door. Replacing the door or repairing the lock mechanism is necessary.

Install a Slide-Locking Bar

This may sound somewhat complicated, but really all you need is a metal bar or a thick wood dowel. Cut the selected material to fit into the bottom track of the door. When you are going out or locking your home for the night, put the bar or dowel in the track. This prevents anyone from opening the door, even if the lock has been removed or damaged.

Maintain the Door Rollers and Tracks

Most sliding doors today will move back and forth using plastic rollers; however, if these are damaged, they won’t be able to move smoothly, and the door may be able to be lifted from the tracks. If the door is not rolling properly begin by lifting it out of the track and then clean out any debris or dirt because both of these can result in the roller and track to degrade.

If you have cleaned the track and the door still isn’t moving properly, you can try adjusting the roller size. There are some doors that have small adjustment holes close to the top edges where a Phillips screwdriver will fit. This will let you compress or expand the rollers. Clean the tracks and replace the more snugly fit rollers, which is going to keep a would-be burglar from just lifting the door off of the track and bypassing the lock you have installed.

Use a Commercial Locking Product

It’s also a good idea to consider purchasing a commercial lock that is available at local hardware stores. These are usually more secure and can be installed on any door.

When it comes to securing your sliding door, use the tips and information found here. If you need help with this, contact the professionals. They can help you determine the right locking solution for your sliding door and ensure that your home is not vulnerable to would-be burglars.