stupid patio doors ...

[Sinifar]

Okay another rant - as YOU know I am commercial - not residential, so yes I do change out resi locks and other things, but this one got me --

How do you secure a patio door, the sliding kind? I know about Charlie Bars, and got two in the truck, but the lady on the phone wanted some kind of lock which went into either the top of bottom of the rail on the sliding door. I haven't seen one of those in ages - is there something new in the trade I haven't seen? Like in Flake's catalog?

The upshot of this phone conversation was "She was afraid her toddler would take the pole out of the track or figure out how to move the Charlie bar and "escape"... I almost asked her "What kind of prison do you run anyway?" Maybe perhaps she was remembering something she saw ages ago and wanted one on her doors (2) -- so I don't know - just an old commercial.

Speaking of resi locks, did anyone see the National Locksmith spread on the new "smart" lock which can be worked with the i phone? You wonder why I got out of that market. Like the article says, "You may bot see many of these but should know about them if you need to service them."

Mostly they are plastic, and easily forced. As far as "secure" -- forget it. Both the dau and the g. dau are IT security specialists and work in that field. Hack into an i phone? Give either one yours and it will be toast in about a half hour. Secrets? Forget it - secure? No way.

Sinifar

[GWiens2001]

Used to see them all the time at hardware stores. Many municipalities have laws about putting that kind of lock on doors leading to a back yard with a swimming pool.

Here a couple from a quick Google search...

http://www.mypreciouskid.com/patio-door-guardian-lock.html

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Cardinal-Gates-Patio-Door-Guardian-Childproofing-Lock-White/30253072

http://www.safeslider.com/

Gordon

[Sinifar]

Okay, I can see that - just it isn't in the trade - that is retail, now what? If they bought it I could install it for them - I guess it is a bigger problem than I thought - then again - kids today do things which we never thought of doing in the 40's / 50's -- GAD I hate getting OLD! .. lolol.

Thanks for the info. ?Something else I need to pick up and toss on the truck for the next time!

Sinifar

[billdeserthills]

As a 'commercial' locksmith I'm surprised you don't already have one of the more useless locks on your truck, the Octopod, which has been called numerous other things as their product has been sold to so many other companies. I also stock Belwith's or First Alert's flip style lock part #5142. Do not by their sliding style lock though, the ball bearings fall out and it no longer stays locked/unlocked. You can get a look at one at the Home Depot website, just enter First Alert part# 5142

[Raymond]

The last time one of my similarly silly customers wanted to lock the sliding door I used a 1/4" diameter slide bolt. The slide frame is about exactly the width of the door. Screw it onto the stationery door and the round slide bolt goes into a hole in the moving door. Super simple and keeps the little kids in until they can figure out how to climb up on a chair or use a broom stick.

I know this is not great security but it met their requirements exactly.

[cledry]

What about one of these near the top. No holes to drill. I've used them for years, used to be called Burglar Bars.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Barton-Krame ... /100203548

[Sinifar]

Ya, that looks like a Charlie Bar -- Ages ago when we had a shop we had some stupid locks from I think - Ideal. They had a line of window locks and sliding door locks which on the windows went across the two halves, like Loxem / Belwith -- it was a cheap line of pot metal cast locks. We sold some but in those days the people didn't really think about securing patio doors, except with a broom stick or similar in the lower track.

One of those had a lock which went on the lower part of the sliding door and it threw a locking bolt into the floor or top as installed. Somebody had a lock which went over the track and "grabbed" onto it, You threw a small lever and that secured the block to the track then turned a key which locked the lever.

Of them all I still like Charlie Bars - they fold up into the back holder when not in use, and have a cross pin to keep from being forced out or up when in the locked position.

The patio door problem was solved awhile ago with the large swinging doors - but the sliding door came back. Think big french doors. One of those uses the three edge locking system of SES -- I bought one from a client as a replacement from Anderson Windows -- they are made in Fort Atkinson WI - by one of our clients.

The problem is, I don't carry much in that line as industrial work does not have sliding doors - and commercial store fronts have Adams Rite locks to secure them -- SO -- the other problem is this - i don't carry junk I can't turn at least once a year - this is extremely slow moving inventory - residential - and if I can stuff in a good grade 2 lock instead of a big box junker I will.

IF you have not looked at the new Master Lock line of door locks you should. It is all metal, no plastic or cast junk in it and it has a 10 year warranty and works well, is available in SC / KW / WE / WL keyways - and they are all interchangeable. Get a box of cylinders and carry SC and you can cover a lot of inventory with little expense.

Just a note for you to watch out for - the "new' Schlage F line is also an import and it looks like the Global / LSDA grade three locks.

Sinifar

[sleepyrz]

I got a bunch of that crap in a bag in the back of the truck just in case
I basically went to Home Depot and grabbed one of each of all of the items from the sliding glass door and window "security" section
It might have cost $70 in total for all of it
You can easily make that back from one job installing one of them and the rest is free

[billdeserthills]

I got a bunch of that crap in a bag in the back of the truck just in case
I basically went to Home Depot and grabbed one of each of all of the items from the sliding glass door and window "security" section
It might have cost $70 in total for all of it
You can easily make that back from one job installing one of them and the rest is free

most of the sliding glass door hdwr at Home Depot is also sold for less money through your 'Prime Line' distributor
They also have a great piece of reference material in the Prime Line catalog

[dll932]

I really don't like patio door locks. I usually install something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/TOLEDO-LOCKSS-TDP ... 04F5J0YD59

or this:

http://www.amazon.com/Belwith-Products- ... B0085VP4NE

or this:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0085V ... KWXBHZD8SA

And I install them at the bottom to give more protection to doors where the outside member slides (easier to crowbar open). I replace the screws with longer ones, of course. If people ask, I tell them to replace them with atrium style doors if they can afford it.

[CapeCodLocksmith]

There really is no bigger PITA than dealing with patio doors. Both the horrible Anderson patio doors that seem to always have problems, and in trying to secure sliders. I'll second Prime Line, good to stock up on some of their goods. Much better than rushing to Home Depot or Lowes and trying to hunt down a specific patio door lock. They always seem to have different patio door inventory at each individual store.

[ltdbjd]

The best way I've found to secure a patio door is commercial grade epoxy. "You wanted it to be impossible for somebody to break into your house by opening the patio door, now it is. That will be be $125. Cash, check or credit card? You're welcome."

[GWiens2001]

Gordon

[jenny5555]

i'm sorry to hear about your troubles with the patio doors. I found too that commercial grade appoxy works well too. But in the long run I think you're better off just getting a new patio door. Shop around. I found some good prices at conservation construction.