Safety and Security FAQs for Origin's Bi-fold Doors and Windows

{"pageStyle":"","cssClass":"advice-article-2712","articleTitle":"Safety and Security FAQs","strapline":null,"straplineColour":"white","desktopBannerUrl":null,"desktopBannerWidth":0,"desktopBannerHeight":0,"tabletLandscapeBannerUrl":null,"tabletPortraitBannerUrl":null,"mobileBannerUrl":null,"carouselImageUrls":[],"featureBullets":[],"shareThisUrl":"/advice-centre/safety-and-security-faqs","useHttpForShareThisUrl":true,"articleBody":"<p><strong>Quick links:</strong></p><ul><li><a href=\"#safetysecurity1\">Are bi-fold doors secure?</a></li><li><a href=\"#safetysecurity2\">What features help make them secure?</a></li><li><a href=\"#safetysecurity3\">What kind of locks do they use?</a></li><li><a href=\"#safetysecurity4\">What makes a strong door handle?</a></li><li><a href=\"#safetysecurity5\">What makes bi-fold door hinges secure?</a></li><li><a href=\"#safetysecurity6\">How safe is the glass used in the doors?</a></li><li><a href=\"#safetysecurity7\">Are there features to stop children trapping their fingers?</a></li></ul><h2 id=\"safetysecurity1\">Are bi-fold doors secure?</h2><p>Yes. A set of bi-fold doors from any reputable door company will certainly have been designed and manufactured with security in mind.</p><p>High-quality bi-fold doors come with a <a href=\"#safetysecurity2\">range of features</a> that make them safe to use while ensuring your home is invulnerable not only to break-ins but the harshest of weathers too.</p><h2 id=\"safetysecurity2\">What features help make them safe and secure?</h2><p>Safety and security features include:</p><ul><li><a href=\"#safetysecurity3\">a secure lock</a></li><li><a href=\"#safetysecurity9\">a multi-point locking system</a></li><li><a href=\"#safetysecurity4\">a heavy-duty handle</a></li><li><a href=\"#safetysecurity5\">strong hinges</a></li><li><a href=\"#safetysecurity6\">toughened glass</a></li><li><a href=\"#safetysecurity7\">finger-safe gaskets</a></li></ul><h2 id=\"safetysecurity3\">What kind of locks do they use?</h2><p>Locks commonly found on bi-fold doors include the following:</p><table><tbody><tr><th style=\"background-color: #196889; color: #fff; padding: 1%; border: 3px solid #fff; width: 30%; vertical-align: middle!important;\"><p style=\"padding-bottom: 0px!important; font-weight: 600;\">Cylinder locks</p></th><td style=\"background-color: #f3f3f3; padding: 2%; border: 3px solid #fff;\"><ul style=\"margin-bottom: 0px!important;\"><li>A keyhole and pin-and-tumbler mechanism inside a cylinder. Different-sized pins in the lock stop it from being turned without the correct key.</li><li>Many cylinder locks are designed to meet British Standards and are put through rigorous testing to ensure they can resist common housebreaking techniques such as picking, bumping, drilling or snapping.</li><li>Some cylinder locks even incorporate magnetic coding, where a special key is used to turn magnetised rotors inside the barrel.</li><li>Look for locks that are accredited&mdash;some carry a Kitemark&mdash;and are recognised by home insurance providers as being highly secure.</li></ul></td></tr><tr><th style=\"background-color: #196889; color: #fff; padding: 1%; border: 3px solid #fff; width: 30%; vertical-align: middle!important;\"><p style=\"padding-bottom: 0px!important; font-weight: 600;\">Deadbolts</p></th><td style=\"background-color: #f3f3f3; padding: 2%; border: 3px solid #fff;\"><ul style=\"margin-bottom: 0px!important;\"><li>Most deadbolts use a cylinder lock.</li><li>Typically, there are three types of deadbolt:<ul style=\"margin-bottom: 0px!important;\"><li style=\"list-style-type: circle!important;\">Single cylinder&mdash;key cylinder on the outside of the house, thumbturn on the inside</li><li style=\"list-style-type: circle!important;\">Double cylinder&mdash;key cylinder on the inside and outside</li><li style=\"list-style-type: circle!important;\">Lockable thumbturn&mdash;thumbturn on the inside that can be locked with a key</li></ul></li></ul></td></tr><tr><th style=\"background-color: #196889; color: #fff; padding: 1%; border: 3px solid #fff; width: 30%; vertical-align: middle!important;\"><p style=\"padding-bottom: 0px!important; font-weight: 600;\">Twin-point locks</p></th><td style=\"background-color: #f3f3f3; padding: 2%; border: 3px solid #fff;\"><ul style=\"margin-bottom: 0px!important;\"><li>Where turning the handle operates locks at the top and bottom of the door panel, holding the doors in place.</li></ul></td></tr><tr><th style=\"background-color: #196889; color: #fff; padding: 1%; border: 3px solid #fff; width: 30%; vertical-align: middle!important;\"><p style=\"padding-bottom: 0px!important; font-weight: 600;\">Drop-bolt locks</p></th><td style=\"background-color: #f3f3f3; padding: 2%; border: 3px solid #fff;\"><ul style=\"margin-bottom: 0px!important;\"><li>Normally used as an auxiliary lock rather than a door&rsquo;s main lock.</li><li>The body of the lock and the strike plate interlock like a door hinge with special pins. When closed, the lock essentially becomes one unit and is very difficult to separate.</li></ul></td></tr></tbody></table><h2 id=\"safetysecurity9\">How do multi-point locking systems work?</h2><p>A typical feature of bi-fold doors is the integrated multi-point locking system. These work by engaging a number of bolts and hooks around the frame when the door handle is lifted&mdash;meaning the doors aren&rsquo;t relying on the security of a single lock.</p><p>Three-point and five-point locking systems are most common&mdash;five points being the minimum recommended for proper security.</p><p>Origin doors go a step further with their unique, PAS 23/24‑certified eight-point locking system.</p><p>Multi-point locking systems also have the advantage of potentially lowering your premium when you arrange home or contents insurance.</p><h2 id=\"safetysecurity4\">What makes a strong door handle?</h2><p>The handle is considered one of the weakest parts of a door. To be secure, it must be able to withstand sheer brute force, as this is typically how a burglar will look to exploit any vulnerability.</p><p>Door handles can be strengthened with the following measures:</p><ul><li>A solid-cast body secured with hardened metal bolts</li><li>A cylinder guard to cover the lock</li><li>A rotating cylinder shield to protect the barrel from being drilled</li><li>A chamfered backplate to stop thieves detaching the handle with mole-grips or clamps</li></ul><p>The best handles will have undergone special strength tests to demonstrate that they can resist hundreds of pounds of force without breaking.</p><h2 id=\"safetysecurity5\">What makes bi-fold door hinges secure?</h2><p>Because hinges are typically positioned outside the home, they can be more vulnerable to burglars looking to break in&mdash;more so if they are also worn, damaged or poor-quality.</p><p>A secure set of hinges is one which is made out of some kind of strong metal&mdash;like zinc, for example&mdash;and equipped with special bolts and screws that make it much more difficult for the doors to be levered off the hinges.</p><p>Hinges made of strong material are also able to better withstand damage caused through bad weather.</p><h2 id=\"safetysecurity6\">How safe is the glass used in the doors?</h2><p>Most bi-fold doors come with double or triple glazing as standard, which is extremely tough to break. In fact, it&rsquo;s now a legal requirement that all bi-fold doors have toughened or tempered safety glass as a minimum.</p><p>Not only is this special glass stronger, but if broken it will shatter into smaller fragments, similar to how a car windscreen would break. This makes it much safer than glass that breaks into large, sharp shards.</p><p>To read more on whether to choose double or triple glazing for your doors, <a href=\"https://origin-global.com/advice-centre/double-or-triple-glazing-which-is-the-right-choice-for-your-bi-fold-doors\">click here</a>.</p><h2 id=\"safetysecurity7\">Are there features to stop children trapping their fingers?</h2><p>Some bi-fold doors&mdash;including Origin&rsquo;s&mdash;are fitted with &lsquo;finger safe&rsquo; gaskets. These act as a cushion if a child&mdash;or indeed an adult&mdash;gets his or her fingers caught between door and jamb. It&rsquo;s this feature that gives homeowners with young families complete peace of mind that their children will be safe around the doors.</p><p>Also, many bi-fold doors have roller systems which are designed to stop children trapping their fingers in the sliding mechanism.</p><center><p style=\"background-color: #196889; padding: 1%; width: 50%;\"><a href=\"https://origin-global.com/doors/bi-fold-doors\" style=\"color: #fff;\">Click here to learn more about Origin&rsquo;s bi-fold doors</a></p></center>","youTubeVideoId":null,"authorName":"Drew Blackburn","authorThumbnail":"/Media/Default/advice%20centre/Drew%20Blackburn.jpg","authorDescription":"Drew Blackburn is the Procurement Manager at Origin. Having worked at Origin for over 5 years, Drew is responsible for procurement processes for Origin from materials used in the production line to internal equipment.","currentCategoryId":5364,"currentCategory":"FAQs","currentCategoryUrl":"/advice-centre/category/bi-fold-doors/faqs","otherCategoryArticles":[],"relatedArticles":[{"title":"Your 10-step guide to choosing high-quality bi-fold doors","thumbnail":"/Media/Default/advice%20centre/choosing-guide-header.jpg","url":"/advice-centre/your-guide-to-choosing-high-quality-bi-fold-doors","id":3726},{"title":"Secured by Design FAQs","thumbnail":"/Media/Default/advice%20centre/black%20aluminium%20bi%20fold%20doors.jpg","url":"/advice-centre/secured-by-design-faqs","id":7687}],"level1CategoryId":5361,"level2CategoryId":5364,"customJavaScript":null,"googleChartId":null,"googleChartOptions":null,"googleChartData":null,"htmlTitle":"Safety and Security FAQs for Origin's Bi-fold Doors and Windows","metaDescription":"Origin's experts answer your frequently asked questions on the safety and security features of our bi-folding doors and windows.","url":"/advice-centre/safety-and-security-faqs"}