Aesthetically pleasing and convenient, bi-fold doors are an excellent alternative to more traditional hinged and French doors. Why are they so popular?
It is largely to do with the amount of additional light they let into your property, along with their amazing space and energy-saving capabilities.
One concern many homeowners have though, regarding bi-fold doors is that they are not as secure as the other options out there.
Although security is an important factor to consider when choosing doors for your property, you must understand just how secure or not bi-fold doors are and how to make them securer.
Contrary to the misconception many people hold about them, bi-fold doors can be just as secure as traditional french doors or sliding doors.
When they are purchased from a reputable company, installed properly and benefit from the best door furniture and safety measures, bifold doors can be exceptionally safe and secure.
At Affordable Windows, we are also happy to give you a no-obligation free quote on a brand new set of bifold doors at a price that's right:
Let’s look at the subject closer.
How Secure are External Bifold Doors?
A lot of people look at bifold doors as being similar to interior doors like wardrobe doors, assuming that they are just as flimsy when used as exterior doors.
However, as long as they have the necessary design features, many bifold doors, both interior and exterior installations, are extremely secure.
How Can I Make My Bifold Door More Secure?
As noted above, it very much depends on the design and features of bi-fold doors as to how secure they are. Bifold doors themselves can be as tough and secure as any other type of door.
If you want to make sure you have the strongest and most secure bi-fold doors possible, though, here are some features and components you should look for:
Choice of Glazing – when it comes down to making bifold doors more secure, you need to think carefully about the glazing you choose.
Like most doors and windows these days, bifold doors can be installed with a variety of different glazing options.
Although double glazing will make bifold doors secure, there is more need to think about if security is crucial to you. For instance, the thickness of the glass and the type of glass can have an impact.
There are two main security glass options – toughened glass and laminated glass.
Locks – Another aspect and feature of bifold doors you need to pay close attention to is the locks used. There are various options out there and some are better than others. Most bifold doors nowadays feature some kind of multi-point locking system. These are preferred and offer a high level of security because, rather than relying on just one locking mechanism, they utilise multiple.
This often includes:
- A combination of bolts, hooks, mushrooms, and rollers
- A latch
- A deadbolt
A multi-point locking system makes it incredibly difficult for the average criminal to gain access to your home because burglaries usually require speed and a certain degree of stealth.
If there are far too many locks to deal with, a criminal is more likely to look at other properties with more simple locking mechanisms.
What Are the Different Types of Locks for A Bifold Door?
You may not have realised until you started looking at different doors and more specifically bifold doors that there are different locks you can equip your door with.
To give you an idea of what is available, let's look at some of the most effective and popular.
Deadbolts – deadbolts often come as standard with modern bifold doors and are secured by either a twisting lock or key.
The key option is best for the additional security it provides. AS these are infamously hard to crack and break into, they offer you a superb level of safety from intruders and criminals.
Twin point – twin point locks consist of a handle that is operated from the bottom or top of the door and can be secured using just one single movement.
These are generally considered one of the most aesthetically-pleasing locks and are available in a variety of finishes and styles.
Childproof – locked doors don’t just stop unwanted intruders from gaining access to your home or property, they can also prevent small children from leaving the house.
Even the most well-behaved children still like to explore. Childproof locks are designed to be easy to lock and unlock for adults, but hard for children.
There are a variety of different kinds of childproof locks out there, from the kind of locks that slip over the top of the door or more simplistic options like zip-tie style locks.
Which Lock is Best?
It has already been mentioned before, but it is worth noting that the best type of lock for your bifold doors is not just one individual lock but rather a multiple-point lock, because the more mechanisms and locks you have in place the harder it will be for any would-be burglar to gain access or for your young children to leave the house unsupervised.
Are Bifold Doors Sturdy?
It has already been mentioned before, but it is worth noting that the best type of lock for your bifold doors is not just one individual lock but rather a multiple-point lock, because the more mechanisms and locks you have in place the harder it will be for any would-be burglar to gain access or for your young children to leave the house unsupervised.
Summary
If you are interested in having bifold doors installed in your home because of the amount of light they allow in, their convenient design and aesthetics in general, but are worried about how safe and secure they may be, don't.
As we have shown, there are a lot of misconceptions that people believe about bifold doors that are just not true.
Still, if you are interested in making your bifold doors as secure as possible, you can equip them with better and more complicated locking systems and stronger glass.
At Affordable Windows, we are also happy to give you a no-obligation free quote on a brand new set of bifold doors at a price that's right:
