Deadbolts For Front Entry Doors

[Jack]

What is the difference between sgl cyl & dbl cyl? -- Thanks

[ransley]

Bolt - keyed lock both sides, double cil, I think.

[mm]

One is a seagull cylinder and the other is a Double Stuff Oreo cylinder.

With double, if someone breaks in through a window, they can't unlock the door to carry things out.

Also, if you have windows in that very door, they can't break the glass and unlock the door.

I put in double when I had an apartment, because the fire escape was accessible to others. But I never locked that deadbolt when I was home, because I didn't want to depend on finding the key if there was a fire, or if I were in a hurry. Even with various roommates, it was easy to get them to follow the same rule. (and they weren't very good learners otherwise.)

[EXT]

Medco has a double cylinder deadbolt that uses a captive key inside. It has a handle on the inside key so it looks like a lever, but can be removed by inserting the regular key into the outside cylinder and pulling on the handle of the captive key. This way the inside key can be removed for extra security when you are absent for a time, but other times it acts as a single cylinder deadbolt.

[DerbyDad03]

This sounds like a lock for those that enjoy playing the odds -

You'll settle for a single cylinder deadbolt for short excursions out of the house, but opt for a double when gone for extended periods - "extended" being in the eye of key-holder.

If that's not the case, then it sounds like a very inconvienient lock, given that you have to go through some physical gyrations to remove the inner key every time you leave.

[Percival P. Cassidy]

A few years back I lamented that I had been unable to find locks like the lock (maybe Yale) I had on my front door in Australia: one did not need the key to lock it, but, once the button was pressed and the door was closed, the deadbolt tripped, so that the key was needed to open it either from the inside or from the outside.

I was told that a lock that could not be opened from the inside without a key was a safety hazard in the event of a fire and was a violation of the Code.

Perce

[Mark]

I had a double cylinder on my back door for 25 years. The door had small windowpanes, easily broken and was somewhat secluded from view on the outside. It entered onto the basement landing, making it also secluded from the inside. It was the main door we used since our parking was at the rear of the house.

I put decorative hooks on the wall at the top of the stairs where we always hung our keys when we came in, with one hook with only a door key. My theory was that even if one of us forgot to hang our keys there would always be at least one there, and even in the worst case of fire we'd be able to get out. The risk seemed much less than the possibility of someone breaking one of the small panes and getting in.

[hallerb]

$ [e-mail]...

when buying deadbolt get one with extended shackle that goes thru not only strike plate but wall stud too..........

much more secure.

but realize if somone wants to really get in they can, glass windows etc.

if in bad area buy security system or at least put up signs protected by so and so security............

[Stormin Mormon]

Do you have a link to such an item?

They did make a DB with two inch throw, but that was twenty years ago. Now days, one inch throw seems to be the standard.

[mm]

Yeah, it sounds ridiculous. Just as most traffic accidents happen with 30 miles of home, most burglaries happen when you are away for less than a day. The one time 25 years ago that this house was burgled, I was only away for 2 hours, Sunday around 6, in the summer when the sun was still out.

Exactly. My system, and that of most people, is simple and easy. We had another deadlock that we used when people were home but wanted to lock the door. To get out, we unlatched that, went out and I guess we locked that one if someone was still home. (although when I was awake, I didn't care if the door was locked.) The last one, almost always me, locked the double dead bolt.

[hallerb]

mine came from home depot, and saved a break in,,,,,

they damaged the trim and jam but didnt get in..

home was for sale at time and vacant. police figured it was kids looking for party house

[mm]

If you had bottom posted, the relevance of my reply to you AND Percival would be easier to show.

When I had the double lock, I lived in an apartment, with only one exit. There was a fire escape, but I didn't want to resort to that just because I couldn't find a key, and the fire escape is meant to be one of two exits, not the sole exit.. If the fire is in my apartment, there can be some who can exit through the door without crawling through the flames, and others who can exit throught the fire escape without crawling through the flames.

If the door can't be unlocked, some people may not be able to reach the fire escape becaues of the fire. Although there never was one in the building, and probably not even on the block, in the 12 years I lived there.