Old Sliding Patio Door - replace or repair?

tea_deer

My partner and I are first time buyers and we've have had an offer on a house we like accepted, but it needs a bit of TLC (we're waiting for the survey to be done at the moment to find out what specifically!), and one of the potential issues is a UVPC sliding glass door to the garden that looks fairly old. It's a bit of an odd size at 9ft wide, and we're worried that the locking system may not be the best, but the double glazing hasn't failed yet.

If it is a fairly old installation, does that mean that the glass won't be toughened? To make the security better, is it enough to install a new locking system & extra bolt locks on the inside? If we did want to replace it, would the whole installation need to be pulled out, or can certain parts like the glass be replaced?

Thank you for any help and advice

grumbler

I am pretty sure the glass can be replaced. Don't know about the locks.

victor2

Patio door glass should meet BS6206A and have the relevant kitemark on it, which must be visible in the installed product. We have patio doors installed in the 1980's and they have it. Google says that standard was introduced in 1981. If the doors are older than that, they probably need replacing anyway.

As for security, if they're very old then replacement is really the only way to improve it significantly. An old trick was to physically lift the doors up and remove them from the frame. "Anti jacking" security then became commonplace AFAIK.

You can get extra locks to help prevent the doors sliding, even just sit a length of dowel between the sliding door and the frame, but it's really only a short term measure.

EssexExile

There's no such thing as an odd size, they are almost all made to measure. You can't use bits from the old doors on new ones. if you could there wouldn't be any point, putting completely new doors in would be cheaper than messing around with old bits.

Move in, live with it for a while then think what you want to do.

MalMonroe

After living in a home with sliding patio doors, I would heartily endorse putting in French windows instead. Far better security. They may cost more but they will last longer and put burglars off. I have had homes with both and French windows are much better.

AskAsk

i hate sliding doors.  they keep sticking.  i would replace them.

JIL

We had sliding doors in our house, but they also tilted. They were installed in 1990. Toughened glass. They also had some security jammers on the inside. 
We noticed that one of the panels has condensation in between the panes of glass. Apart from that they are still in good condition. 
As a  previous poster suggests, live in the house for a while. You may decide that theres something more pressing to spend money on. Or not.

Jack_Cork

+1 on changing to French doors. 

[Deleted User]

I prefer sliding doors. Space saving and won’t blow around when open on a windy day. 

EssexExile

Or bi-folds, depending on the situation.