Beyond the Sliding Door Mortise Lock: The Importance of Secondary Sliding Door Locks 

Let’s just say that sliding door locks are not world-renowned for their burglar-busting abilities. Granted, some, like sliding door mortise locks and multipoint locks are more robust and therefore more secure than others (such as basic latch locks), but still, none of these is as secure as it would be with a secondary sliding door lock - which is exactly the topic this short article will cover. 

By the end of it, you should fully understand the value - and accessibility - of secondary sliding door locks. 

Two Is One and One Is None: Benefits of Secondary Sliding Door Locks 

Are you familiar with that saying? Two is one and one is none. It is a saying amongst those that practice preparedness and general readiness. It also means that if you have something, and it’s worth having, it’s worth having a second. 

Having one of anything is like putting all your eggs in one basket. It makes no sense, and it’s risk-prone. 

Such is the case (as with so many other things in life) with your sliding patio door lock. That sliding door mortise lock may be tough, but if it fails, then it allows access into your home. 

This is where secondary sliding door locks (and other redundant failsafe measures) come into focus. 

The fact of the matter is that sliding patio doors, though they offer a convenient access point to the outdoors, are a decidedly weak point in the design of a home’s security. They are far too easy to breach, allowing those with nefarious intentions theoretically easy access to your home. 

Consequently, there are numerous pointed advantages of installing a secondary sliding door lock. The following are just a few of the more salient selling points. 

For one thing, a secondary lock will offer a second, potentially visible deterrent to any that might attempt to break in. Criminals prefer easy targets and breaking a lock is not just extra work, it increases the odds of failure (or capture). Installing a second visible lock presents such a deterrent and lowers the odds that your home will be selected as a target. 

For another, a secondary sliding door lock will add another mechanical deterrent to your home. Even if a break-in is attempted, the perpetrator will have to breach two locks - not just one - to get in.

And, on top of that, installing a secondary, redundant sliding door lock will give you peace of mind, and you can’t put a price on that. 

All of these things and more make it worthwhile to install a secondary door lock - or some other prevention measure, in order to improve your home’s security. There are also many potential ways to go about installing a secondary security measure for your sliding door, ranging from additional locks, multipoint locks (which theoretically have a secondary point built in) and of course, another popular alternative, sliding door lock bars that obstruct the track, preventing the door from being forced open. 

At any rate, there’s more than one type of secondary security measure in which you can invest. One of these is a Charley Bar, which we offer here at Window and Door Parts. 

Exploring Viable Options: The Charley Bar (16-108)

Slightly different from some other secondary sliding door locks, the Charley Bar (16-108) is a security device that takes the form of a metal bar that fits into the track of a sliding door, jamming it closed and preventing it from being forced open. Available in three finishes, it features robust anodized aluminum construction and can be cut to length to fit nearly any size sliding door track. 

Strong and lightweight, highly adjustable to fit nearly any configuration, the Charley Bar is one of the most practical of all secondary security features for sliding doors, mostly because of advanced features of its design that prevent it from being compromised from outside. 

The Charley Bar now has a black plastic saddle that requires a key to be unlocked, which now means that it cannot be raised from the outside with wires or other devices, preventing it from being dislodged except by a deliberate action. 

Moreover, the Charley Bar cannot be opened from the inside by children as a result of its advanced design. These features make it among the most practical and failsafe of all sliding door security bars. 

Perhaps most importantly, the Charley Bar comes with all the hardware necessary to install it, along with straightforward instructions, and can be installed at home with nothing more than basic tools. It also hangs neatly out of the way when you don’t need it, making it the perfect solution for those looking for a secondary sliding door lock mechanism to improve home security. 

All in all, the Charley Bar is a simple and effective device that serves as a solid solution for a secondary security measure that aims to prevent intruders from gaining unauthorized access to your home. 

Like any secondary security feature, it offers peace of mind as well, protecting your home, the valuables it contains and your loved ones, from unnecessary risk. 

Our customers have also remarked that the Charley Bar is easy to install and gets the job done. For more information on the Charley Bar or its specifics, please see the previous link.

Patio Door Foot Locks

How a Patio Door Foot Locks Work:
A foot lock is mounted on the bottom edge of the sliding door or its track. Just like the photo at the beginning. It features a spring-loaded pin or bolt that, when engaged (by pressing down with your foot), extends into a hole or slot in the door track. This prevents the sliding door from moving, even if the main latch is compromised.
To unlock, you lift the foot lever with your toe or foot, retracting the pin from the track and allowing the door to slide open normally.

Key Benefits:

• Secondary Security: Adds a strong physical barrier against forced entry.
• Child Safety: Helps prevent children from opening the door unsupervised.
• Ventilation Option: Some foot locks can be set to lock the door in a partially open position for airflow.

You can view an examples here: Patio Door Secondary Locks

Upgrade Your Sliding Door Mortise Lock with a Redundant Failsafe 

As you can see, it’s not entirely in your best interest to trust the security of your home just to the single sliding door mortise lock on your door - or to whatever lock you have installed. While there is more than one potential solution to secondary security, you should invest in one or another. 

While the Charley Bar only represents one of these, we are more than happy to help you devise a solution for your home’s configuration. To talk to a live person about potential solutions for redundant sliding door security, please feel free to get in touch with us at 727-385-4629.