The Do’s and Don’ts of Double-sided Deadbolts.

We’ve seen a little bit of a rush on these. If you’re not familiar with them you should be. They look like this;

Or at least similar. The idea is that the lock requires a key to unlock from both sides.

There are some obvious uses for this type of lock. Keeping young children safe, or older dependants from wandering away. Sleepwalkers tend to like them. If you have a lock close to a breakable window, this denies the burglar access to the thumb turn.

However, as useful as they can be, there are issues to keep in mind;

  1. There is no way to open the door without a key
  2. The door is no longer an emergency exit possibility unless there is a key in it

Those are the two most obvious, and also the two the fire department will tell you are their biggest concerns.

There are ways to use this lock properly.

  1. Leave a key in it while you are at home
    1. Best if you are living alone or with other adults
  2. Leave a key hanging above it
    1. Best if you are caring for a child or the elderly
  3. Take anyone without a key to the lock with you when you leave

There are ways to not use the lock properly

  1. Don’t leave the key in the lock if you have wandering children or an elderly dependant
    1. Hang it out of reach or around your neck
  2. Don’t leave someone at home who doesn’t have a key
    1. They could be trapped in case of an emergency
  3. Don’t leave a key in the lock when you’re not home
    1. This entirely defeats the purpose as a burglar can still reach in and turn the key

Most of this seems pretty obvious, but with the number of people I personally get come through looking for a way to keep wanderers in, it seems important to point some of these things out. Talk to us about what you are trying to accomplish, and we’ll come up with the most viable solution with you.

 

 

 

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