A patio door handle is made avaialable in different shapes and sizes. Although these differences occur, the mounting dimensions of the locks are often the same. This usually applies for surface mount door handles. Some of the common types of patio door handles especially stocked by online stores include the Charlotte Zinc Die-Cast Sliding glass door handle which is available with a different finishes including satin. C.R. LAURENCE M6159 CRL Brass 2 Shower door pull handle is another common type. This is meant for sliding and swinging doors. A door knoob alarm can be installed at the main window, for security. It’s plated die cast and is available either in chrome or brass finish. Other common handles include the euro charlotte and the aspen zinc die cast handle.
One special thing about handles for patio doors is that you don’t have to replace the entire fixture if the handle ceases operation. You will only require replacing the handle hardware in a very simple procedure. First you will need to establish the type of handle for your sliding door. There are two common types of systems that are commonly used and knowing your system you will easily buy the installation hardware. The most common is the mortise handle system which has the removable “mortise” insert close to the edge of the door and is help by two screws.
The other type is the non-mortise system which has no insert at the door edge. This system uses a little round claw which sticks out of the door edge gripping a hook on the jamb. Once you have established the system, you will be ready to purchase the replacement hardware. For the mortise system, you need to remove the screws from the inside of the handle. This will allow the whole handle assembly including both the interior and the exterior to fall off. There are repair products if felt necessary. In case the handle has been in use over a very long time it might just break apart. Once the latch is off, you will need to take the parts to the home improvement store in order to get the exact parts.
You can now re-install the old mortise and the new parts for your patio door handle, since in most cases the mortise is usually intact and therefore there is no need to purchase a new one. You will need to adjust the alignment to allow the locking strike to work correctly. In case you are buying a mortise lock, there are certain factors you should have in mind. First you should take all the measurements including the lock width, screw hole size and the distance between the centers of the mounting screw. You should also note the type of end face plate. This is usually square or round. Finally, you should note the name of the manufacturer of the door since each as a unique lock. In case you are unable to gather all this information, you can take a picture of the lock and take the picture with you to help you get the exact lock you are looking for.