Most sliding glass doors that will not lock have a worn roller, not a broken lock: the panel drops and the hook latch misses the keeper. We adjust or replace rollers, reset keepers, replace handle sets and add keyed exterior locks, foot bolts and anti-lift blocks. On gates we install keyed latches and gate deadbolts, keyed to your house key when the keyway allows, across San Diego County.
What you get
- Sliders that will not latch fixed at the roller and keeper, not just the handle
- Handle sets, keyed exterior locks, foot bolts and anti-lift blocks
- Keyed gate latches and gate deadbolts, on your house key when possible
- Self-closing, self-latching hardware for pool gates
- Corrosion-resistant hardware for coastal homes
Why a sliding door stops latching
A sliding patio door locks with a hook-shaped latch inside the handle that swings into a keeper on the door jamb. When the door will not lock, the hook and keeper are usually no longer lined up. The rollers under the panel wear flat or seize, the panel drops a few millimeters, and the hook passes under the keeper instead of catching it.
Forcing the handle at that point bends the hook or strips the handle. The real fix is at the bottom of the door: adjust the rollers with the screws at the panel edge, or replace them if they are worn through, then reposition the keeper so the hook catches with the door fully closed. Most doors that will not latch are fixed this way without a new lock at all. We clean the track at the same time, because grit in the lower track is what wears the rollers.
Handle sets, keyed exterior locks and proprietary parts
When the hook itself is bent or the handle is cracked, we replace the handle set. Most sliders lock with a thumb-turn on the inside only, which is fine for a door that opens onto a fenced yard. If you use the slider as a main entrance, for a casita or an ADU for example, a keyed exterior handle set lets you lock it from outside and come back in without walking around.
Which handle fits depends on the door. Older aluminum sliders in the 1960s to 1980s tract homes across Clairemont, Tierrasanta and Mira Mesa take widely available replacement handles and hooks, and we carry the common ones. Newer vinyl doors from the major window makers often use brand-specific handle sets and latches that have to be matched to the door, so we identify the door first and order the correct part rather than forcing a generic one to fit.
Need a sliding door or gate lock fixed today?
Call or text with your address and door count. You get a firm price before we roll.
Add-on security for patio doors
A hook latch alone is not much of a lock, and the slider is the door most often left unlocked. Three add-ons make a real difference:
- Patio door bolt or foot bolt. A bolt mounted on the panel that drops into a hole in the frame or track, locking the door independently of the handle latch. A foot bolt lets you set it with your shoe.
- Anti-lift block. A block or screws fitted in the top track so the panel cannot be lifted up and swung out of the frame, which is the classic way a slider is defeated.
- Track bar. A bar or dowel in the lower track that stops the panel sliding even if the latch is opened.
We fit all three in the same visit, and for a door in rough shape we compare the cost against a full lock replacement or new hardware so you can decide.
Problem to fix: a quick decision table
Use this to work out what your slider or gate probably needs. We confirm it at the door.
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Slider will not latch or lock | Worn rollers, panel has dropped | Adjust or replace rollers, reset keeper |
| Handle flops or hook is bent | Worn or broken handle set | Replace handle set, matched to the door |
| Need to lock the slider from outside | Inside thumb-turn only | Keyed exterior handle set |
| Want more than the hook latch | Single point of security | Foot bolt, anti-lift block, track bar |
| Gate has no lock, just a gravity latch | Latch is not lockable | Keyed gate latch or gate deadbolt |
| Gate key differs from house key | Separate cylinder | Key alike if keyways match, otherwise a new cylinder |
| Wrought-iron gate with no lock box | Nothing to mount a lock in | Fabricator welds a box, then we fit the lock |
| Gate hardware rusted near the coast | Salt air corrosion | Stainless or marine-grade replacement |
Side-yard, driveway and pool gate locks
Most San Diego side gates close on a gravity latch, which keeps the dog in and does nothing else. Adding a key is straightforward on a wood or vinyl gate: a keyed gate latch replaces the gravity latch, or a gate-rated deadbolt goes through the gate frame with a keeper on the post. We bring both types and pick the one that fits the gate frame and the gap to the post, then adjust it so the gate still swings shut and catches on its own.
Same key as the house
Several keyed gate latch lines take a standard residential cylinder. If that cylinder shares a keyway with your front door, Kwikset with Kwikset or Schlage with Schlage, we pin the gate to your house key as part of a keyed alike setup. Otherwise the gate gets its own key. For a gardener, pool service or dog walker, a keypad lock on the gate means a code you can change instead of a key you have to collect, the same logic as our keypad deadbolts.
Wrought-iron gates
The wrought-iron driveway and yard gates common in Chula Vista, National City and City Heights have nothing to mount a lock in. They need a steel lock box welded on by a fabricator first. Once the box is on, we fit the deadbolt or latch and key it to match.
Pool gates
California pool safety rules require gates into a pool yard to be self-closing and self-latching, with the latch release out of a small child's reach. We install and adjust spring hinges and self-latching hardware so the gate closes and catches on its own every time. Check current code with your city or the county before a pool inspection; this is general information, not a code sign-off.
Salt air and gate hardware near the coast
Gate hardware lives outside with no roof over it, and within a mile or so of the water it corrodes fast. In Point Loma, Ocean Beach and Coronado we see zinc latches seized solid and plated deadbolts pitted through within a few years. The cylinder is usually the first part to go, because salt builds up on the pins and the key stops turning.
For coastal gates we recommend stainless steel or marine-grade latches, a solid brass cylinder rather than zinc, and a dab of dry lubricant twice a year. It costs a little more up front and holds up far longer. Our guide to salt air and locks in coastal San Diego goes through the finishes and habits that last.
What the visit includes
Send a photo of the door or gate if you can, so we bring the right rollers, handle set or latch. On site we:
- Check the panel for drop, roller wear and track grit, and adjust or replace the rollers.
- Reset the keeper so the hook catches with the door fully closed, or replace the handle set if the hook or handle is worn.
- Fit any add-on security you want: foot bolt, anti-lift block, track bar.
- On gates, install the keyed latch or deadbolt, key it to the house where the keyway matches, and adjust pool gate closers.
- Test every lock, hand over keys and show you how the add-ons work.
Roller and handle replacement on a standard aluminum slider is usually an hour or less. Hardware is quoted up front, and our pricing page has the starting labor rates. For the rest of the house, a rekey in the same visit puts everything on fresh keys.
Sliding Door & Gate Locks: common questions
Why will my sliding glass door not lock?
Almost always because the panel has dropped on worn rollers, so the hook latch in the handle no longer reaches the keeper on the jamb. Adjusting or replacing the rollers and repositioning the keeper fixes most of them. If the hook is bent or the handle is broken from being forced, the handle set gets replaced as well.
Can you put a key lock on the outside of a sliding door?
Yes. Keyed exterior handle sets are made for sliding patio doors and let you lock and unlock from outside, which matters when the slider is the main entrance to a casita, ADU or back unit. On older aluminum doors a standard keyed handle usually fits; newer vinyl doors often need the brand-specific handle made for that door.
Can my side gate use the same key as my front door?
Often, yes. Several keyed gate latches and gate deadbolts take a standard residential cylinder. If it shares a keyway with your house lock, Kwikset with Kwikset or Schlage with Schlage, we pin it to your house key. If the keyways differ we can usually swap the cylinder to the matching family, or the gate gets its own key.
Do you install locks on wrought-iron gates?
Yes, once there is somewhere to put the lock. Most wrought-iron gates have no lock box, so a fabricator needs to weld a steel box onto the gate first. After that we fit a deadbolt or keyed latch in the box and key it to match your other locks where the keyway allows.
What does California require for a pool gate latch?
In general terms, gates into a pool yard must be self-closing and self-latching, with the latch release positioned out of a small child's reach. We install spring hinges and self-latching hardware and adjust them so the gate closes and catches on its own. Confirm the current code with your city or the county before an inspection; this is general information, not a code sign-off.
Should I repair the lock on an old aluminum slider or replace the whole door?
If the frame and glass are sound, repair is the sensible call: new rollers, a new handle set and a keeper adjustment bring a 1970s slider back to locking properly for a fraction of the cost of a new door. Replace the door when the frame is bent, the glass seal has failed or the track is worn through, which is a job for a door contractor rather than a locksmith.
More answers on the FAQ page. Not sure what your door has? Send us a photo and we will tell you.
Where we do this
We do this everywhere in San Diego County, same day in most cases. Some of the places we cover:
Related guides
- Salt Air and Locks: Keeping Coastal San Diego Doors Working – How salt air corrodes door locks near the San Diego coast, which finishes and materials hold up, a maintenance routine, and when to rekey or replace.
- Rekey vs. Change Locks: Which Do You Actually Need? – Rekeying keeps your locks and kills old keys. Replacing swaps the hardware. Decide in two minutes with costs, timing and San Diego examples.
- HOA and Condo Lock Rules in San Diego: What You Can Change – Which locks a San Diego condo owner controls, what the HOA can restrict, how to get a smart lock approved, and what fire-rated doors mean for your options.
Ready to get it done today?
Call or text for a straight answer and an upfront price. Mon–Fri 7am–8pm · Sat–Sun 8am–6pm.