How Can I Make My French Patio Doors More Secure? – IKS Locksmiths

As a 24 hour emergency locksmiths in North London we deal with French patio door security on a daily basis. French Patio doors can be extremely vulnerable depending on the type of doors and security measures you have in place. Back doors are regularly targeted by burglars because they are often not overlooked. This is a particular problem at night time. You can read about night time security here.

Are French doors more secure than patio doors?

French doors are a popular type of patio doors with many UPVC french patio doors being installed in the 80’s and in recent years due to the affordability and the perception that they are easier to maintain than wood.

What are french doors?

French door are 2 matching doors side by side that lock into each other as opposed to a door frame.

How secure are French doors?

The fact that the doors don’t lock into a fixed frame makes french doors less secure that other doors.

French doors usually open outward into the garden making them susceptible to the being lifted from the hinges. Sometimes the doors open inwards and this makes them susceptible to being kicked inwards.

French doors can be wooden, pvc or composite. Wooden french doors with the right locks are more secure than composite or pvc french doors.

Can you put a deadbolt on French doors?

You can put a deadbolt (otherwise known as 5 lever insurance approved mortice deadlock or Chubb lock) on wooden French doors but not on UPVC French doors. This is because the lock can be morticed (cut into) the wood. You can read about insurance approved locks here.

A deadbolt is not an option for a UPVC door. For UPVC French doors a 3 star anti snap lock may be required for insurance purposes. You can read about anti snap locks for UPVC doors here.

For professional advice on patio door security locks call your local MLA approved locksmith.

How secure are UPVC French doors?

On many occasions UPVC French doors are much more vulnerable that wooden French doors due to poor fitting and some locking mechanisms.

If you do have PVC French doors it is extremely important to have anti snap locks which are correctly fitted by a professional. An incorrectly fitted anti snap lock does not provide appropriate levels of security.

How To Make French Patio Doors More Secure

The first step would be to upgrade to the best door locks. Bolts should be fitted at the top and bottom of the door to meet insurance requirements. Seek advice from a professional on the best locks for your doors and other suitable security measures.

A Birmingham bar is most commonly found on the front door of a property, as recommended in our post on front door security tips. A patio security bar may be suitable for wooden doors in some cases and can provide a higher level of security at the rear of the property.

Should I leave a key on the inside of a UPVC door?

Never leave a key on the inside of a PVC door as this can compromise your security levels and cause lock problems. You can read about why you should never leave a key inside a UPVC door here.

Should french doors open in or out?

If you are choosing french doors it is preferable to choose outward opening doors for both practicality and security. However both inward and outward opening french doors have security weaknesses which need to be addressed. French doors are not the most secure type of doors to choose.

How do you secure french doors that open outward?

Adding hinge bolts to outward opening French doors can prevent the hinges being unpinned.

They will stop someone unpinning your hinges from the outside. They can also be fitted on inward opening doors.

How do you secure french doors that open inward?

Good locks and an external security gate can prevent inward opening French doors from being kicked in.

What is the best way to secure french doors?

For higher levels of security on areas that are particularly vulnerable installation of door security bars is a good option for both inward and outward opening doors. IKS are specialists in retractable and fixed security grilles installation. We would be happy to answer any questions you may have on security gates for homes.

Addressing your patio door security is so important. It is scary to see how easily some of these doors can be opened. We see a lot of break ins through patio doors in Barnet and were recently called to an emergency in High Barnet where the patio doors had been forced open at night while the family were asleep in the house. If you need to call a Barnet locksmith at night make sure you call approved locksmiths that operates a 24 hour service.

French Patio Door Security Specialists in London

As professional property security specialists we have expertise and experience in French door, bifold door and sliding door security. You can read our advice on common problems with UPVC door locks here.

If you want to know what is the best patio door security for your property and you are based in London or Hertfordshire contact us for a free security survey.

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