Sliding Glass Doors - Replacing Glass To Increase Home Security

If you have a sliding glass door attached to your home, then the door probably allows for easy home access and it also helps to let sunlight inside. However, the large door just might be the perfect place for a burglar to break in, whether the actual window glass is broken or the door jamb is somehow destroyed. If your home contains many valuables or if you are concerned about the safety of your children or your pets, then you absolutely should secure the door properly. There are a variety of window options to help you with this, so keep reading to learn about potential problems with the tempered glass you likely already have and find out about stronger window types.

Tempered Glass Issues

Most sliding glass doors are created with one of several different varieties of safety glass. Tempered glass is used most often and this glass is heated to a temperature of around 1200 degrees Fahrenheit. The glass then goes through a quenching process where it is rapidly cooled. The exterior of the glass is cooled faster than the center, and the process helps to make the glass up to five times stronger than regular window glass.

Also, when the glass does break, rounded edges are created that reduce injuries. However, you should know that the quenching process does cause weaknesses within the center of the glass. This is one reason why some people experience spontaneous glass breakages where their tempered glass doors smash apart for no apparent reason. Not only is this issue troublesome and capable of causing your home to be exposed to criminals, but a burglar can also exploit the weakness and use a hammer or other hard object to break the center portion of the sliding glass door.

Laminated Glass

Instead of keeping tempered glass in your sliding glass door, consider a replacement that is much more secure. Laminated glass is one option and this glass variety will hold together even when smashed, cracked, or otherwise damaged. This is the type of glass used to create windshields, and it is formed out of two solid and hardened pieces of glass that are bonded together with a plastic-like piece of polyvinyl butyral in between. In fact, this glass is used to keep the Mona Lisa and the Declaration of Independence safe. 

The typical type of glass that is used for windshields is about 2.5 millimeters thick. This can help to keep weight down when a replacement is completed. However, if you want better security, then you can opt for a thicker piece of laminated glass constructed out of three or more layers of glass and two or more pieces of polyvinyl butyral. The layering process is similar to the way that bulletproof glass is created.

Polycarbonate

Polycarbonate is another material you should consider. While polycarbonate is actually plastic, it is often used as an alternative to glass. The material is almost unbreakable, and it is sometimes used to create the many layers that make up a piece of bulletproof glass. In a single layer, the material is commonly seen when eyeglass lenses are created. Even as a singular piece of material, the polycarbonate will retain great strength, and it is lightweight as well.

The plastic will even help to reduce the number of UV rays that enter your home, and it is often cheaper than full panes of regular glass. Some glass replacement and sliding glass door professionals may not have the material available. They may need to special order the polycarbonate, and this can increase the amount of time it takes to secure the glass door on your property.

Sliding glass doors are usually not as secure as they should be due to the use of tempered glass during the manufacturing process. However, you can and should invest in a window replacement with either laminate glass or polycarbonate materials. Contact your local window or door specialist to find out what is available to you. For additional reading on replacement windows, you can also visit a window repair company's website.