The Mitchell’s trouble began when the one window in their master bedroom fogged up. They loved the view of the little creek winding through the woods out back, and now the fog had spoiled the view.

The Mitchells had never liked this window. It was aluminum and it had never kept them comfortable. Their bedroom had always been too hot or too cold, and now it was gloomy, too.

The Solution:
The Mitchells came to Mr. Rogers Windows looking for a replacement for the fogged window. But as we talked to them, their love for the wooded setting outside the bedroom became clear. They were even talking about adding a deck.

We suggested a patio door to the Mitchells. Not only would they would have a large, private view of the woods outside, they would have instant access when they wanted to take a walk. Plus, with an auxiliary foot lock, a patio door is just as safe as a window.

The Mitchells' new Frenchwood sliding door.

The Mitchells thought the idea was great, and they quickly fell in love with the Frenchwood sliding door. Our installers came out a few weeks later and cut a new opening for the door. With the help of an electrician they rerouted some wires and installed the patio door.

Now the Mitchells have a lovely view and quick access to their backyard. Their energy bills are falling and the bedroom is their new favorite room.

Myself and my wife just bought our first house. The living room has two sliding doors (patio doors). They’re pretty beat up and we want to replace them. We’re thinking about using French doors instead, but we’re not sure of the pros and cons. Stuff like energy efficiency, maintenance, security etc.

Thanks.

Answer:
Congratulations on the new house. I remember buying my first house; it was exciting…and scary all at once.

On to your question. When it comes to performance, maintenance, and security, there’s not a big difference between a French door and a sliding door. If you get a good patio door and solid installation, a French door will perform just as well as a sliding door. You can get quality locks for both types—auxiliary foot locks for sliding doors and multi-point locks for French doors.

Maintenance depends on what kind of material you get. Wood will need to be scraped and repainted to stop rot. Vinyl or vinyl-clad won’t. I would just stay away from aluminum—it will kill your energy bills.

Here are the three differences you and your wife should consider:

1)    Looks: French doors look more classic, while sliding doors are more modern.
2)    Space: Sliding doors are going to take up less space than French doors because the panels don’t swing out. I don’t know what your living room is like, but an inswing French door in a small living room could be a problem.
3)    Function: A big benefit of a French door is that you can open both panels. The extra wide opening is great when you need to haul in furniture. Sliding doors will always have one panel that stays put.

Most people make their decision based on number 1 alone. There’s nothing wrong with that. A lot of homeowners choose French doors purely for looks. Of course, now you can get a sliding door that looks like a French door! Check out the Frenchwood  sliding patio door on this page.  Just make sure you get a good door and a good installation.

Answer:

The best lock for a sliding glass patio door is a quality footlock. It’s like a deadbolt that you attach to the bottom of your door. To lock it, you just tap it with your foot and a metal rod extends into the track. Once set, your
patio door can’t slide open.

Typical patio door footlock

Most hardware stores sell different types of footlocks. They usually run about $12-20, and all you need to install one is a drill. I just looked on Google and found several:

Patio door footlocks

You’ll find more information about footlocks and patio door securityhere: Patio Doors Locks and Security.