Sliding Patio Door Safety
The FBI reports that every 15.4 seconds a burglary occurs somewhere in the United States. Although sliding patio doors can be used as an easy access point for many burglars, they can also pose a safety risk in many homes. Extreme care must be taken when locking, securing and using the sliding doors to ensure that the risks for both injuries and burglary are reduced. Does this Spark an idea?
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Runners
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Sliding glass patio doors operate by sliding over runners. When runners are new or clean, they allow the door to close smoothly with little effort. Homeowners should use extreme care when closing the sliding door because body parts can become slammed in the door causing severe pain and injury. Always communicate with other household members when using a sliding patio door.
Sliding Glass Patio Doors
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Some sliding patio doors are made of glass and therefore can pose a safety risk for users. At times it may be difficult for homeowners to see the glass and can mistake this as the door being open. To help prevent injuries from walking into a sliding glass patio door, ensure that the glass has a sticker or symbol attached to it so homeowners can determine whether the door is open or closed.
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Child Supervision
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When your patio door is not secure, children should be supervised at all times. Sliding patio doors lead to the outside where inquisitive children can tremendously increase their chances of becoming injured or killed. Some backyards are equipped with swimming pools, swing sets, jungle gyms and other toys that can be hazardous to children who are not supervised.
Burglary
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Most patio sliding doors come equipped with a small latch that locks and secures the door. The latch is on the door's handle and does not provide adequate security against intruders entering your home. Purchasing dead bolts and other locks for the door's frame can help keep your patio door more secure. Placing a steel rod or wooden block in the door's sliding mechanism can prevent burglars from opening the door and entering your home.
Privacy
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Patio doors usually bring brightness and warmth to a room because the majority of them are made out of glass. Window treatments and blinds can be used on sliding patio doors to heighten your privacy at night. Increasing the home's privacy can also lessen your chances of being burglarized because intruders will be unable to look inside your home.
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References
- Photo Credit patio doors image by jimcox40 from Fotolia.com
