Shopping For Patio Door Latch

Some sliding patio door latches of the kind that sit in the sliding door track, are keyed and some are not. The type that are not keyed generally involve some type of switch that can be triggered to engage or disengage the sliding door latch. These are much less common than the keyed variety of sliding door latches.

Keyed sliding door latches are much more common than the non-keyed variety. Extra care should be taken with this and other keyed types of patio door security. In the event that a fire happens, any entrance that can not quickly become an exit is a potential fire hazard and should be remedied at once.

For keyed entrance-exit areas, copies of the keys should be hung within a short distance from the door or window, yet not so close as to make it easy to reach fro the outside, should someone break the window or door in an attempt to gain access. It is a great idea for the placement of keys to such entrance-exit areas is a uniform distance and direction from each egress so that everyone in the home knows where to look or feel for the keys. In the event of fire, smoke can reduce visibility considerably. This is the reason why regular placement is recommended, as people can then feel out the key(s).

A patio door pin is a great additional security feature that can be employed in addition to the regular patio door latch for added security. Though simple in design, a patio door pin type of latch can add a huge amount of security to your sliding door areas. A patio door pin is simply that, a pin that is attached to the door by a chain or metallic string-like material of some kind. When engaged, the patio door pin is inserted into a hole that goes through both the stationery patio door as well as the sliding patio door so that the sliding door cannot move. These only work to keep closed doors entirely closed.

Patio door bars provide much the same protection as patio door pins, but are easier to install, as there is no need for drilling and advanced alignment. With a patio door bar, installation involves simple measurement of the width of space between the far edge of the stationery door and the inside edge of the sliding patio door.

I recommend some combination of patio door latches, in order to fully secure your patio doors. For example, a combination of a sliding door latch and either a patio door pin or patio door bar makes a formidable security combination. With these types of patio door security devices in place, your patio doors are no less secure than your front door. This can really add to you and your family's sense of safety and wellbeing.