Patio door security lock
Patio doors add value to your home and offer a unique experience of allowing the outside in, no matter what the good old British weather is doing. Just like a set of French doors, patio doors due to the way they operate present a unique set of security challenges.
French doors and Patio doors are the weak link in your home security and are the chosen entry and exit point for burglars.
Why are Patio doors so insecure?
Both Patio doors and French doors have a unique way of operating and locking, unlike standard traditional uPVC or composite front and back doors.
The different types of Patio doors you may find in the UK are:
- Inline Slider
- Tilt and slide
- Double handle French doors
- Single handle French doors
So what are the best extra security locks for patio doors
The best type of patio door security lock prevents a part of the door operation, thus rendering the door useless.
Inline sliding Patio door
This type of door was extremely popular 20 years ago and installed in almost all new build houses in the United Kingdom. Inline sliding doors were relatively cheap to manufacture and install as they have only a small amount of moving parts. However, they lack a lot when it comes to security and burglars very quickly found them easy to access.
The best way to increase the security of an inline sliding Patio door is to use an adjustable security door bar, to jam or prevent the door from sliding open. It then makes no difference if a burglar tries to force the door open as the harder they try the hard it becomes. Please click here to get our latest price
Tilt and slide Patio doors
As the name suggests a tilt and slide patio door tilts when the handle is first operated and then slides across on the second operation. Once again this type of patio door was popular in the 80s and 90s as it’s the same kind of door that was found in most European holiday destinations.
The best way to boost the security of a tilt and slide patio door is to use a door security bar and stop the door from sliding open. It won’t prevent the door from tilting but entry cannot be gained with the door in this position. Click here to see our best price door security bar.
Double handle French doors
Double handle French doors are popular today and almost all new build homes have these installed. French doors are made from Upvc and comprise of a slave and a master door setup, the master door contains the locking system and the slave door either has a hidden shoot bolt system or face-mounted finger bolts that lock into the top and bottom frame. Once the slave door is locked the master door locking system engages in the slave door and the door is secure.
But the weak point of all French doors is the door cylinder or barrel.
Around 15 years ago West Yorkshire police noticed a new trend taking place during burglaries in Bradford, dubbed handle snapping. This was the name given to the way the burglar snapped the external handle to gain access to the door cylinder. Using this method a skilled burglar can gain entry to your home in under 9 seconds, now that is a scary thought.
Maybe it is time for your to take a look at your Patio door security and add an extra Patio door security lock
