1 or 2 locks on door?????

I presently have a front door that has a 2 year old Schlage keyed doorknob.
I am going to install a deadbolt asap. I noticed that the handlesets have just a deadbolt that locks. Would I be better off security wise to retain the keyed doorknob and install a deadbolt or rely only on the deadbolt part of a handleset?
I will be installing a 6" long extended deadbolt strike on the front door jam since I have a window sidelite.
My back door has both a deadbolt and a keyed doorknob. Having to open both is no big deal.

Any feedback from a pro would be appreciated.
Mr Bill

 

Go with 2. Good luck.

 

whether you went with keyed knob or just a passage set would be strictly personal preference. A lot of apartments, rental units or 'latch key' kid households go with the passage set to avoid the lock out situation as you need your key with you to lock the door.

 

THanks for the replies.
Being locked out isn't an issue anymore since we have a keylock.

I guess I did not explain my situation well enough. How much more secure is a door if it has 2 locks versus just a deadbolt? I know that the burglars will try to break down the door if the door appears to be locked. THat is why we will install a much longer strike plate for the deadbolt to make it harder to break out the door jam. Does anyone have any statistics or 1st or second hand experience in this regard?

Mr Bill

 

....since I have a window sidelite.......

so I could just break the sidelite and unlock the door?


Locks are known to only keep the honest people out. How remote is the house? Neighbors that keep an eye on things? Any other security features?

 

A knobset provides minimal security, but keeping it as a secondary lock does'nt hurt.
If both are of the same manufacturer, you could have the new deadbolt rekeyed to your existing key, thereby eliminating the need of two different keys for one door.

When I installed high security deadbolts on my house (after a breakin!!), I replaced the knobsets with passage sets because the kids would pull the door shut on their way out and not "bother" to lock the deadbolt "because the knob was locked".

We don't have a side lite, but we do have fair size windows in the doors , so I used deadbolts with removable thumbturns so there is nothing for a theif to open even if the window was broken.

Like they say "if a person wants in, they'll get in" but if they choose my house again, they'll have to crawl in and out through the broken glass in the door. Hopefully, that limits what they take.

Hope that helps

Regards

 

I have lots of neighbors around since most of them are retired and a lot of them are doing something during the day. Burglar alarm on all windows, doors.
We just removed a lot of overgrown landscaping so all the windows are real visible.
The sidelite is the worst feature on the house. When the builders put in the houses in our loop they all got this. Looks nice but now it is a liability. I am going to put in a dead bolt that needs a key inside to open the door. (back door has this too along with the window film.) We will pull the key when we go away and hang it at least 3 feet away from the sidelite.


This all has become a moot point on my part since I asked my wife who has arthritis if she would like a handleset or a door knob. She said that she can always turn a knob but not press down with her thumb on a handleset.
So we are going with 2 lock set-up.

Thanks to all for your candid input.
Mr Bill

 

Just another suggestion for ............my wife who has arthritis

Instead of a round knob go with a lever handle. Then no matter how sore the hands are she can just push down the lever with her arm or wrist and not have to make a grip around a knob

 

Not common, but some places restrict the use of double cylinder deadbolts (where you have to use a key from either side), as it can create a roadblock to someone fleeing the house, like in a fire.

 

I am aware that there could be restrictions.
I would think that the chances of a break-in are higher than the house catching on fire.
We will be hanging the key within 3 feet of the door knob. We are doing this already on the back door and it is no big deal.

The idea of a lever is a good one. I will have to price out buying replacement levers.

I went to the Schlage homepage and they had a tutorial on rekeying their locks. They show the use of a special tool how to remove the door knob. Is this special tool available for a non-profesional? Is there something I could use in it's place like a small screwdriver?
Mr Bill

 

I didn't say a fire was likely, just that it's possible these locks wouldn't be allowed, thus not up to you to decide. I take apart Schlage locks all the time to rekey them and have no special tools - the closest thing to a special tool is the plug follower and a piece of 1/2" dowel will suffice for that. Other than that, screwdrivers and a tweezers are all that's needed.

 

Sorry I did not mean to imply that you said a fire was likely.

There is a keyed lever set on EBAY right now in the right finish at a really good price. I just need to know which style it is ( wife has to approve) and I probably will be bidding on it.

Mr Bill

 

Be advised that leversets are usually made for either a left or right hand door. The exception is if the lever is a plain straight style.

In my previous post, I should have suggested that you check with your home insurance agent on their policy regarding the use of double cylinder deadbolts in your home. From my experience, the use of double cylinder deadbolts are usually forbidden in rental properties because of the liability risk. But are accepted in a private home application.

Also, I've seen customers with arthritis have a large washer soldered onto the bow of the key to make it easier to turn in the lock.
Some lock manufacturers also make keys with a larger bow and could serve the same purpose.

Compare the price of having your locks rekeyed as opposed to buying a kit and doing it yourself. Often, it's less expensive to have them done by a pro.

 

Actually this whole thing will work out well for us.
We will get a levered front door set. The old set will then get moved to the attached garage door since that has a locking set but the kind that a thin wire releases the lock (bedroom kind of lock.) This door will then have a key lock. And an extended strike plate It was something I did not think about when I changed the knobsets in the house 2 years ago.
I thank the Discovery channel for :It Takes a Thief show to expose our many home security shortcomings.
Mr Bill

Mr Bill