French Door Security Features Every Charlotte Homeowner Should Know

French doors are a beautiful choice for every homeowner with a patio. They can enhance the aesthetic appearance and value of your home. Modern French doors can be as secure as solid entry doors, but their wide glass panels and dual-door design require specialized security measures, compared to exterior doors.

If you’re a homeowner in Charlotte with French doors, there are specific security features you need to know to upgrade your home. 

At Bergen’s Contracting & Repair, we’ve secured hundreds of French doors across North Carolina, serving areas such as Ballantyne, Pineville, Fort Mill, Lake Wylie, Matthews, and Huntersville. If you’re considering installing French doors for your patio or have already done so, our contractors have highlighted the essential French door security features that every homeowner in Charlotte should prioritize.

Benefits of Prioritizing Security When Choosing Your Patio Door

When choosing a patio door, prioritizing security is crucial for safeguarding your home and loved ones. Strong, secure patio doors offer protection against break-ins, deter potential intruders, and provide peace of mind. The specific benefits of prioritizing security include the following: 

Reduced Risk of Break-ins

Secure patio doors with features like multi-point locks and reinforced frames are significantly harder to force open, deterring potential burglars. French doors with these features help Charlotte homeowners enhance security. 

Protection of Family and Belongings

Apart from the beautiful decor French patio doors bring to the home, one important thing to consider is the safety of your belongings and family. A secure door prevents unauthorized entry, protecting your valuables and ensuring your family’s safety. 

Peace of Mind

Knowing your home is well-protected allows you to relax and enjoy your living space without worrying about potential security breaches. 

Visual Deterrent

The very presence of a robust, secure patio door can deter potential intruders who may be looking for an easy target. 

Durability and Longevity

Secure doors often feature high-quality materials and construction, making them more durable and resistant to wear and tear. 

Increased Home Value

Secure doors can be a selling point for potential buyers, adding value to your property.

4 Essential Features to Implement for Your French Door

Here are the essential features our patio door contractors in Pineville, NC, recommend you implement when installing your French patio door:

1. Multi-Point Locking Systems: Your First Defense

Standard single-point locks on French doors are easily breached. A properly secured French door needs a multi-point locking system that engages at multiple positions along the door frame:

• Top, middle, and bottom locking points.
• Vertical bolts that extend into the header and threshold.
• Anti-shatter deadbolts (like Mul-T-Lock Magnum, our preferred choice).

Charlotte homeowners with French doors benefit from vertical bolts due to their ground-level accessibility.

2. Impact-Resistant Glass for Storm Season

Charlotte’s severe weather demands more than just security. It requires storm-rated protection. Homeowners serious about maintaining comfort and security with French doors should consider getting laminated glass with a PVB interlayer. This type of glass holds together even when shattered. 

Also, you should consider French patio doors with ASTM E1996 certification for windborne debris resistance or low-E coating to block UV rays without compromising visibility.

Our contractors in Pineville near Charlotte test all our installations to withstand Charlotte winds. So, if you’re residing in areas that frequently experience strong storm gusts, we have the right patio doors for your home.

3. Tamper-Proof Hinges & Hardware

The exposed hinges on French doors are an apparent vulnerability. Charlotte homeowners should use non-removable pin hinges for their French doors. This helps prevent door lifting. 

You should also ensure you implement reinforced strike plates with three screws into the door framing and Anti-drill lock cylinders. These help resist picking attempts. 

Note that if your hinge screws are shorter than 2 inches, you’re due for an upgrade. Many historic homes may need hinge upgrades during door replacements.

Smart Security Tech Integration

In today’s technological age, smart security is vital to any home. Modern security goes beyond physical hardware. Consider implementing door position sensors, often compatible with Ring/ADT. 

Keyless entry logs that track access times and glass break detectors that can be paired with alarm systems are other innovative features you can integrate with your patio door.

Why Professional French Door Installation Matters to Your Charlotte Home

Soliciting the service of professional French door installation contractors in Pineville, NC, helps mitigate against security failures that stem from poor Installation. At Bergen’s Contracting & Repairs, we ensure your patio door has:

• Steel-reinforced frames anchored to structural studs
• Proper weather sealing that doesn’t compromise the lock function
• Permit-compliant work to ensure insurance validity

With the summer months and hurricane season approaching, there’s no better time to secure your French doors. Schedule a Free Patio Door Consultation in Charlotte, NC, with Bergen’s today.