We just bought a house where the only window in the bedroom is a patio door. I would like to leave the door open at night but obviously don't feel safe. Has anyone seen a security door for a patio screen door?

how secure can you make a door where you can just cut the screen? you can always leave the glass door slightly open and cut a dowel to the length of the track that is left for the door to slide fully open and drop it into the track thereby stopping the door from opening any further

This message has been edited. Last edited by: nona,

Not going to happen. All it takes to remove a sliding door is to lift it up and it comes out. Want security, replace it with a French Door. Even with that a simple kick, cutting the screen and there in.

You can buy a wrought iron patio door bar system to cover the whole door. We had one and removed it. It was very secure. Just keep the key very handy in case of fire.

A lot depends on what you mean by 'secure'. If you simply want to make sure that all openings to your house are "locked" then nona's suggestion of a bar to limit the doors travel is simple, cheap and effective.If the door is blocked with a bar so that the opening is too small for someone to enter, then they will have to break something to get in. OTOH, if you want total security, then some form of steel bar exterior door system will do the trick.

It's really a matter of what you are trying to protect your house from. The truth of the matter is that short of a brick house with complete security bars on all doors and windows - any of the pros giving advice on these pages could be inside your house in under 20 seconds. I know I could. The best you can hope for in home security is to make your house less desirable than somebody elses - things like lighting, exterior sight lines or a barking dog can be a more effective security system than any lock.

Thanks for that, Ralph.

I know people that have been desperately trying to buy patio furniture for years but haven't been able to find any place that sells it.

there are 7,853 garden furniture stores here in florida, but I've really waiting for yours,so please call me at pai-nass (624-6277 )

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Thanks for all the thoughts and ideas. I actually just want enough security to wake me up. So I'm not looking for heavy duty protection. I thought about the idea of the iron doors. But I think that often turns buyers of when you go to sell. Makes them wonder. Since there is no air con. in the house, there are nights when that door must be open all the way. We live in the middle of nowhere so I'm not overly concerned, just want a little extra security.

I thought about louvered doors with a little stronger lock. but I was hoping someone would have a better idea.
Thanks Again.

I can't add anything to the already good ideas posted except to expand on Jaybee's suggestion of exterior lighting.

If exterior lights are placed right, they could cover anything small enough to be a really skinny and small person who approaches. The question though is whether or not the lights would wake you up.

After my house was burglarized, I did some research and learned of something which I thought would be great. I can't remember what it was called, but it was a combination security strobe light and motion activated alarm which sounded at something like 90 decibels.

It was something like the Outdoor Siren and Strobe Siren ADT has

(http://www.adt.com/home-security/solutions/monitoring/security-system-upgrades)

but the siren was combined with the light.

It would have to be set to avoid small nocturnal critters and would certainly wake you up if it activated.

Since it wouldn't have been part of an exterior monitored system such as those of ADT or Brinks, it wouldn't require the monthly fee.

There are some more exterior motion detectors with alarms here:

http://www.thehomesecuritysupe...ion-detectors-sub=80

I see that Amazon offers an "electronic watchdog" alarm: http://www.amazon.com/ED-50-El...-Alarm/dp/B002XITC5G. I think this would be ideal - the threat of a guard dog without the accompanying obligations of pet care if you don't want them.


When I asked my local PD if there were any regulations against the combination strobe light and alarm, I was told that I should discuss it with my neighbors first, as I could be fined if it became a noise and visual nuisance and the neighbors objected to it. Since one of the neighbors was someone against whom I wanted protection, that wasn't such a good idea.

I never did get an exterior lighting system because I couldn't afford it, but still plan to. I'm not sure about the noise blasters and strobe lights though.