Since we talked about secondary window locks last time, we should probably talk about secondary locks for sliding glass doors. Sliding glass doors are probably the easiest way to get into your home. I have a salesperson who has years of experience with many different types of sliding glass doors.
When he goes to a homeowners house to look at a sliding glass door he walks outside and asks the client to lock him out. He then jiggles and jimmies the door until it pops open and he walks in. Sliding glass doors are a favorite of burglars for this very reason. They are the most “unsecured” section of your home. You really need a secondary lock for this reason.
I recommend the charlie bar. Click on that link and type charlie bars in the search and you can see a picture of what a charlie bars are. Sure the little foot bolts work well in some instances and can be less visually intrusive. However, a charlie bar serves the same purpose as a footbolt and serves as a “broomstick” in the track. The type of charlie bar we use also has a pin lock which keeps the panel from being lifted as well.
This should really be the first step you take when beginning to secure your home, especially if you have a sliding glass door on the first floor.
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