Sliding Door Locks

According to studies conducted by several security entities 83% of burglars enter through the only door that doesn't have a proper door lock; taking that in to consideration wouldn’t it be a good idea to make sure that all our doors get secured and efficient looks?

 

This is why we've decided to compile this list of 5 ways to make your sliding doors more secure.

A conventional patio door lockset normally has both a keyed knob and deadbolt. This type of security can be found on most exterior entryways. Keyed knobs feature a retractable bolt, called a latch bolt that extends into a door jamb or, in the case of double patio doors, into the frame of an adjacent door. Latch bolts are spring-loaded and tapered on one side. When they strike the jamb or adjacent door they retract and subsequently spring back, or "latch," into a hole. Dead bolts are thicker, sturdier and extend farther into a frame than latch bolts. Dead bolts don't have the spring loaded mechanism; when a door is in the closed position the turn of a knob or key inserts a dead bolt into a hole in the jamb or adjacent door.

A foot bolt is attached to the lower interior surface of a patio door. The foot bolt features a retractable, spring-loaded bolt that, when activated, slides through the door's sill and into a hole bored through the concrete or wood beneath. Once locked in place, the floor bolt prevents operation of the door from the outside. This type of patio door lock is operated by a downward push of the foot, hence the name "foot bolt."

The sliding door latch secures a sliding patio door to a Jamb or wall. The latch features a "J" shaped bar that fits into both wall and door-mounted plates. The plates bulge at the center to form a cylinder through which the bar passes. The "J" bar is turned upside down and concurrently inserted through the cylinder on each plate. Once in place, the sliding door latch prevents a door from sliding. This type of lock can only be disengaged from the interior side of a door.

A door chain tethers a door to the wall by connecting the two parts with a chain. A chain dangles from a plate attached to the wall or door jamb and a disc at the end of the chain attach to a grooved plate screwed to the door. Door chains often appear in public places. Specialty door chains are equipped with a keyed lock that allows a key to release the chain from the door's exterior.

Sliding doors have to slide back on a rail in order to gain entry. If you have a bar that wedges into this area, it is practically impossible to open the door. It doesn't matter if the lock is being used or not, it will not be able to open. It is a very simple, easy and cost effective method to getting your door secure.

I hope this list can help your home security pains. Remember that some of these security measures cannot be applied to every single door in the market, so make sure that choose the correct security system for your sliding door. To find more ideas on sliding doors read our other articles.