The Best 4 Types of Patio Door Locks

Although patio doors provide visual space and allow light to enter a room, it is important that you provide patio door locks to prevent intruders from entering your home. There different sorts of patio door locks from traditional keyed knobs, to bolts that are secured into your room’s home. To determine what patio door lock is perfect for your home, you must know the different types of locks to choose from.

1. Keyed Knobs and Deadbolts

The more traditional kind of patio door lock comes with a keyed knob as well as a deadbolt. The keyed knobs have a latch bolt which is retractable. These latch bolts feature springs, and they are tapered on one side. Once the latch bolts hit the door jamb or the adjacent door, they retract and result into a springing motion that latches them into a hole. The deadbolts are more powerful and extend farther inside a door’s frame compared to a latch bolt. They are, however, not loaded with springs which the latch bolts are. When you close the door, you simply turn the knob and this motion inserts the dead bolt into the hole of the door.

2. Foot Bolt

This kind of bolt is found attached to the bottom part inside the surface of the door. The foot bolt is loaded with springs as well and is retractable. When it is triggered, the foot bolt is inserted into the sill of the door and goes inside a hole found through the concrete or wood. Once locked, you cannot open the door from the outside of your house. To open this type of lock, you simply have to push the foot in a downward motion, which explains its name.

3. Sliding Door Latch

This kind of lock keeps a sliding patio door in place by attaching it securely into a door jamb or a wall. It features a bar in the shape of the letter “J” that goes into the wall and the plates mounted on the door. The door-mounted plates bulge at the center. This will create a cylinder where the J-shaped bar can pass through. The bar turns upside-down and passes through each plate’s cylinder. When everything is in place, the sliding door can no longer be opened because of the door latch. Like the foot bolt, you can only unlock the door from the inside of the house.

4. Door Chain Lock

This kind of door lock joins the door to the wall by means of a chain. This chain can be found attached to a plate which is also attached onto your door or wall. The chain features a disc at the end of it that is connected to a grooved plate that is fixed onto your door. There are specialty door chains that feature keyed locks that release the key from the chain it is connected to. This can be done from outside the door.