Hello,
Unfortunately my mother's house has a uPVC front door - ugly, ghastly thing. Now, the door is fitted with an elaborate lock where one lifts the handle when the door is closed and some latches lock into the (none-too-substantial) uPVC door frame. Keeping the handle up, the key is turned and a flimsy deadlock bolt also slides into place. Now, the frame is obviously too soft for a standard door chain too offer any protection should some miscreant come to the door and decide to kick it in when mother opens the door. We are thinking about CCTV in the door. However Q1 is there some physical "latch" that can be attached to the door so when she opens it the effect is like a standard door chain so she can see the visitor but they can't push into the house?
I did see a system once where the chain was within the door frame and when the door was opened, unless you turned a latch, the chain was always engaged. No rubbish screws on the wood, this thing was fitted inside the door and inside the frame. Seemed like a much more secure system to me. This mechanism wouldn't fit inside the uPVC door my mother has.
Separately, I once had to fiddle with the door for 10 minute because it would not lock. The dead-lck worked fine (I.e. lift handle, hold, turn key) when the door was opened. However, the lock wouldn't engage when the door was closed. Looking at the door frame there are some metal brass-like "sockets" attached to the frame into which the "hooks" and the bolt (?) engage. I am guessing the socket into which the lock bolt slides has come out of alignment and the bolt won't slide into place. The sockets have two screws with hexagonal allen key holes and + and - on them. Q2 Are these what I fiddle with to adjust the alignment of the socket? How do I know what to turn and by how much? Is this adjustment a pro-job?
Thanks
Clive