Your patio door is the most vulnerable entryway into your home for criminals. One of the strongest and hardest patio door locks to break into is the patio door bolt. As their name implies, they are a strong, oftentimes steel, bolt that holds your door in place when someone is trying to pry the door open.
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Coupled with other security methods, your patio door can become one of the most difficult entry points to your home for burglars. These can include locking bars, clips, alarms, security glass, and safety film. A combination of security devices is the best deterrent to theft.
Why a Keyed Bolt Lock is Better
With so many locking devices available on the market that cost substantially less, you may be wondering why the bolt is the best answer. Other options that do not require keys, such as the bar and other patio door locks, seem just as good. This is correct, to a degree.
The other patio door locks are effective at preventing burglary, but a bolt lock with a key is the strongest of all the methods. It can prevent the sliding door from being lifted off of the slider track, which is a common method of breaking into a sliding patio door. Furthermore, without the key, a young child cannot open the lock and accidently escape without the parents’ knowledge. However, as stated before, the most effective way to deter crime is to use a combination of security devices.
As an additional note, some insurance companies require that all doors have locks with keys. This commonly overlooked fine print policy has cost multiple homeowners and renters their insurance entitlements after a home invasion. Insurance companies are businesses and it is not uncommon for them to find subtle ways to get out of paying for claims. Read through your policy and you may be surprised to find this hidden in there. Do not take the risk, and have keyed patio door locks installed in your home.
Installation
Patio door locks that have bolts often require professional assistance from a locksmith or other maintenance technician. However, the extra effort is well worth the additional safety and security that these locks provide. There is no price when it comes to the wellbeing of you and your family.
The optimal option for installation is top and bottom. However, this configuration may be inconvenient because it requires that both keyed bolts be unlocked before the door can be opened. For this reason, the most common configuration is to have the bolt installed on the bottom portion of the door.
Another option that you may have during installation is to have multiple bolt housings drilled, so you can also lock the door open in various positions. Frequently, homeowners will have an additional hole drilled at around three inches as a ventilation option, so they can keep the door slightly open without worrying about someone breaking in or young children getting out.
Safety Glass and Security Film
None of the patio door locks would do any good if a burglar decided to just break the glass. Although it is uncommon for a burglar to break glass, it does happen. The reason why burglars do not break glass that often is because it makes sound, one of a burglar’s worst enemies. The sound of glass breaking can be heard by neighbors several houses down and occupants of the home. Most burglars try to avoid the unwanted attention.
However, if they do attempt to enter a home by breaking glass, safety glass and security film act as a good deterrent. Before you consider having either installed, check to see if it already has been. Some areas require that safety glass is installed by law.
Safety glass is multiple layers of glass lined with one or more layers of glue in the middle. Instead of shattering, the glass breaks, but the door maintains its shape. It actually takes quite a bit of force and energy to break safety glass, such as several hard whacks with an axe. This is not the ideal situation for a burglar.
Because safety glass is manufactured that way, it can be an expensive addition to your patio door locks. A cheaper and less effective solution comes in the form of security film. Security film acts in the same fashion as safety glass in that it prevents glass from shattering. The difference is that it is applied to the inside of the glass and is usually much weaker than safety glass. Additionally, if it is not installed correctly, bubbles may be visible, a give away to thieves.
Combining Patio Door Locks
To get maximum security for your home, you may want to consider combining other patio door locks. There are other patio door locks, including bars, clamps, and alarms. Redundancy is key to safeguarding your home. If one mechanism fails, there are other patio door locks available.
The window or patio door clamp lock is one of the cheapest methods. They are also the easiest to install. They don’t require any tools and can be attached and detached in a matter of a few seconds. They are also very strong little devices that do not damage your door or sliding track.
A locking bar is an easy addition. There are a variety or locking bars that made of sturdy materials such as wood, aluminum, and steel. You can also use a broomstick or mop handle. Usage is extremely easy; all you do is put the bar in the slide track the door is stopped.
Alarms are another good deterrent. If a thief does manage to open the lock, a loud sound, which most of them try to avoid, will be emitted. Many criminals will be scared off by such noise.
Patio door locks are an essential part of safeguarding your home from thieves. There is no better way to protect your home, your valuables, and the ones that you love than with a patio door bolt lock. Don’t mess around with your safety and security. Invest in a bolt.
