Special Door Security

Securing Special Doors

Securing Special Doors

Doors that swing open to the outside and sliding glass doors are options that will take extra precautions to secure.

To prevent a burglar from forcing a sliding door open, insert a steel pin into a hole drilled through the inside door frame and part way in to the outside frame. Make sure to drill at least 5/8 of an inch away from the glass to avoid penetrating the glass that extends into the frame. Placing a broom stick or a spare piece of wood in the bottom track can also foil an intruder.

Some thieves just lift the glass door right out of their track. To avoid this, install two strong metal spacers (at least two per door) in the upper track and screw them in to pre-drilled holes.

For double doors, each must be firmly secured, but in different ways. The one receiving the most traffic treat as you would any hinged door. Make the other secure by installing bar or barrel bolts at the top and bottom of the door.

Out-swinging doors need to be secured with metal door pins because thieves can just pull the hinge pins free and work the door out of its opening.  A metal guard fastened to the door with one-way screws can also solve the problem.