Safety & Security Tip #6 - How To Fortify Glass

This week we will continue my disdain for sliding glass doors series and how to mitigate their risk.

One of the bad things about sliding glass doors is that the glass can simply be broken. I promised in an earlier tip that I would teach you how to fortify glass. It is not fun. You will want to wash your windows first (shout out to Chris Jones at T&J who does ours at 940-300-7942) and call a friend who is an Architect, Engineer, or just extremely detail-oriented for the next part. The best thing is that the security film is clear, so you do not need HOA approval. =)

We will get to the how. First, I will tell you the why.

If you have regular glass, it is simple for an animal, child, ball, or flying debris to break it. The film is not just great from a burglary standpoint, but also from storm safety and if you live near a golf course as well.

You want to keep people, animals, and elements out, while minimizing property damage and loss inside. By keeping your glass intact you can do that. It also prevents injury and is a lot easier to clean up and replace glass when it is more or less intact. While security film will not stop an intruder, it will slow them down. The film also offers UV protection which is beneficial to everything inside your home. It will extend the life of our window coverings, flooring, and decor.

After you have called Chris to wash your windows (another shameless plug), you will need to order the security film similar to the kind linked below. They come in various price points and thicknesses. I would only get clear due to HOA and code enforcement guidelines. It is similar to wall paper application. You want to measure it, peel off the backing film, apply it, and make sure that you don't have any bubbles. You can go back with a sharp razor and remove excess around the edges. It is time consuming and arduous, thus the detail-oriented friend.

It can be used on any type of glass.