You’ve invested in beautiful French doors that add elegance to your home, but are they really keeping your family safe? Imagine walking into your living room and suddenly realizing how vulnerable those gorgeous glass panels could be to potential break-ins. Most homeowners don’t realize that French doors can be a security weak point if not properly protected.
The good news is that securing French doors isn’t complicated. With the right strategies, you can dramatically improve your home’s security without sacrificing style or natural light. In this guide, we’ll walk you through professional-tested methods to make your French doors as secure as they are beautiful.
Securing Your French Doors: A Comprehensive Guide to Home Protection
French doors are lovely, but they can make your home feel less secure. After unlocking countless doors and working with myriad homeowners, here’s what we’ve gathered about keeping your space safe.
Understanding French Door Vulnerabilities
Most homeowners don’t realize they have hidden security problems. The traditional French door is a pretty high-risk door to have, security-wise. There are several things about it that make it attractive to intruders.
It has a large amount of glass, for one. Any thief worth his salt knows that the common types of locks you find on French doors are not very good. If you’re in Greenwood Village, CO, you’ll want to pay special attention to your door’s security.
Vulnerable Points of Entry
Often, the most vulnerable part is glass. Standard thin glass or single-pane glass can be broken easily, allowing for light and forced entry. Traditional locking mechanisms often work at a single point—which might be a contact point that is compromised easily with minimal force.
Reinforcing Glass: Your First Line of Defense
Not all glass is equal. We have two main suggestions if you want to step up your glass game and protect against a break-in. Check out our security experts at Doctor Lock for professional advice.
Glass Protection Options
• Laminated glass: Incredibly tough, composed of several layers bonded together. Much more resistant to penetration and also keeps people safer from flying glass if it breaks.
• Tempered glass: Stronger than ordinary glass. When it breaks, it shatters into many tiny pieces.
You May Be Interested In: How Much Does It Cost to Install Intercom Systems?
Advanced Locking Mechanisms
Today’s French doors deserve today’s security solutions. Multi-point locking systems are the cat’s pajamas. When you engage these systems, they don’t just lock one point along the door edge.
They lock multiple points, which means they’re perfect for distributing security pressure along the door’s edge. They also make forced entry along the edge exponentially more difficult. Visit our local shop to explore options.
Smart Lock Technologies
The home security industry has been transformed by smart lock technologies. Your choices now include:
• Locks that use Bluetooth technology
• Locks that use fingerprint recognition
• Locks with remote monitoring capabilities
Additional Physical Barriers and Deterrents
Comprehensive security goes beyond mere locks and glass and involves strategic thought. Security bars are the most affordable and effective way to provide a visible and physical deterrent to someone who might try to break into your house.
Professional Installation Considerations
If you are uncertain about the current lock on your door, a locksmith can perform a quick security audit. Though some improvements can be made on a DIY basis, many essential upgrades to your security require the expertise of a trained professional.
Investment in Home Security
Homeowners can plan on spending from $500 to $1500 for thorough security upgrades to their French doors. The peace of mind that comes from knowing your home is safe and secure is an investment in your property.
