Have You Thought About Your Patio Door Security Locks?

The aesthetics, ease of access to a garden and the natural light they let into a house, make patio and French doors a popular choice. But these are often targeted by burglars because patio door security can be a weak point in the security of a home.

Experienced burglars know that homeowners can forget to lock patio doors. And even if they are locked the burglar can break older ones easily, or simply lift a sliding door from their frame and gain entrance.

French doors that open outwards have hinges that are exposed, offering a crook the opportunity to jemmy the door open from the exposed hinges.  You want the windows, but the glass in single glazed glass doors are easy to smash.

So how can you make your patio or French doors highly secure?

From additional locks to hinge bolts, alarms to setting a reminder to check the door each night, just one or two additional measures can make your insecure door a lot more sure of itself.

Firstly, Don’t Make Your Home a Display Cabinet

Yes, you need to secure your doors. It’s the most important thing.

But another key thing about burglary, is that burglars target homes that have expensive things blatantly on display.

A burglar is far less likely to break in if they can’t see inside. If they can’t easily see valuables or plan their escape route through your house it could be all an opportunist burglar needs to find an excuse to move on to the next house.

For some burglars, there is a ‘rush’ in the break in, there is a ‘high’ in the act of stealing and selling the goods on. It’s not just about cash. But if they can’t see what’s on offer, they won’t be as tempted.

However, if a burglar sees a pattern of constantly pulled curtains during the day, this could indicate that you are regularly out too.

A simple blind can fix this. And blinds make entry more of a challenge too.

Securing Your Doors

Depending on what’s going on out back, you’ll need a certain type of patio door lock (if you’re unsure about what you need to secure your door properly or want any extra advice, get in touch with us and we’ll be happy to help). The basic door locks that come with older sliding doors deteriorate over time and can eventually be broken in just a few seconds. French doors or those with outward hinges can be prized open from the hinge side. Intruders could also smash their way through, but the noise and the effort of breaking through double glazed windows is usually the last resort for a burglar.

There are a host of products available, each with its own pros and cons. Alarms can be effective but won’t physically stop someone breaking in. Door braces or security bars are other options, but you may find these look unsightly when the door is closed, and they won’t prevent a burglar from lifting the door off its slide rail.

Choosing a French or Patio Door Security Lock

An additional bolt like the Hautau Euro Safety Catch provides another layer of security on sliding doors (it provides extra security for any PVC or timber door and window).

The catch features a catch which fixes to the door and a bolt chamber which fixes to the door frame.  When the catch and the bolt chamber are aligned (when the door is shut) you can push a bolt through, securing the door. It’s an extra lock and also prevents the door from being moved up or down. You may need two, top and bottom, on larger patio doors.

Push locks work in a similar way. This push lock from Q-Line is key operated and can be easily added to any patio door or window. The bolt pushes into the catch and is locked using the key.

If you have French doors there are two main potential weak points:

• The centre divide (if they are double doors opening outwards)
• External hinges

As mentioned, an outward opening door can be forced at the hinges.  A simple way to secure the hinge area of a French door is using a hinge protector. These Fearless Hinge Protectors from Mila fit inside the door on the hinge side. When the door is closed the hinge protectors act like an additional bolt so forcing the door from the external hinges becomes much harder.

Where you have double doors opening outwards, the centre divide can be an issue as there is often no frame. But having a multipoint locking system (one that locks top and bottom) and by adding extra locks such as an additional door security bolt  to the top and bottom of each door you can further secure the opening.

Other additional options for double opening doors include locks that fit over the door handles on the inside. But these are not always considered the most aesthetically pleasing options.

Final Thoughts on Your Patio Door Security

The key to improving the security on patio doors and French doors is to think about it in terms of multiple locks and bolt options rather than just a single lock. Locks with a multiple locking mechanism provide the best protection, while extra internal bolts add another layer.

If your door is old the standard fittings won’t be as good as more modern ones. Also, those standard locks do become weakened over the years.

Look to the weak points – external hinges can be attacked and sliding doors can be lifted off their rails. And remember, out of sight is out of mind. A blind is a simple addition to a patio door and stops anyone seeing further.

If a burglar thinks your doors are going to be too much hard work, they’ll find one that is easier.