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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a latch and a lock?
A latch holds a window shut; a lock resists someone opening it.
A latch keeps a sash closed against wind and movement.
It makes no claim to resist attack.
That distinction is the whole category.
It is right where security is not a requirement.
It is wrong wherever an insurer or specification calls for locking.
Where is a latch appropriate?
Internal windows, secondary glazing, hatches and cupboard glazing.
Anywhere the window simply needs holding closed.
Casement stays that need a catch rather than a lock.
Positions where security is genuinely not a concern.
It is also used alongside a separate lock.
In that arrangement the latch holds and the lock secures.
How do the mechanisms differ?
By how they hold - snap, rotation or friction.
A spring catch snaps over a strike and releases when pulled.
A turn latch rotates a bar across the joint.
A roller catch grips by friction and releases with a pull.
The choice follows how much holding force is wanted.
It also follows how the window is operated in practice.
Does holding force matter?
Genuinely - in both directions.
Too weak and the window blows open.
That is how glass gets broken and hinges torn off.
Too strong and the window is difficult to open.
It also pulls its fixings out of the frame over time.
Adjustable strikes let this be tuned after fitting.
Why has my latch stopped catching?
Alignment has usually drifted rather than the latch failing.
A dropped sash or a moved frame stops the catch meeting the strike squarely.
Repositioning the strike is the usual fix.
Fitting a stronger latch does not address the cause.
Timber windows move seasonally and drift predictably.
Adjusting rather than replacing is nearly always the right first step.
Is a latch a restrictor?
No - they serve entirely different purposes.
A latch holds a window closed.
A restrictor limits how far it opens.
Fall-prevention requirements are not satisfied by a latch.
Above ground level those requirements still apply.
Where children have access, a proper restrictor is what is needed.
Can a latch be added to an existing window?
Usually easily, since most are surface mounted.
Fixing into sound material matters more than the latch pattern.
The strike position is marked from the catch rather than measured.
Alignment should be checked with the window fully closed.
Old screw holes may need filling first.
On uPVC and aluminium the section behind the fixing determines what will hold.