At the bottom of our stairs are two doors [which are nearly always open] and you have to go through one of them to get upstairs. I was thinking about getting some new door handles with built in locks that would allow the doors to be locked from the stairs side only when we go to bed. This would make it difficult for an intruder to get upstairs without making a noise getting through the door.
It all sounds good to me but would doors locked from the inside be a danger in a fire situation?
Seems a bit OTT to me
I once stayed at an ex's parents house for a weekend. At night, they would lock every downstairs interior door for this very reason.
My question to them was; If you're so paranoid about being burgled that you lock interior doors, why the flip are you living there?
That question didn't go down too well.
I would think is fine, as long as they are easy to unlock in an emergency. You won't need to find a key in the middle of a fire, type thing.
Are you sure you're not going all Josef Fritzel on us? 😉
I can't entirely get my head round what you trying to do but yes, doors locked from the inside would pose a risk in a fire situation, that's why traditional night latches are popular. If you're going for the European type locking mechanism in the handle solution, then get one with a locking nib on the inside rather than a key, or leave the key permanently in place.
Buy a shotgun instead.
nightlatch?
key to open from outside, but handle to open from inside... just hit the thumb switch to stop the door locking during the day.
In an emergency, it would open straight away.
Dave
would doors locked from the inside be a danger in a fire situation?
That would be my concern!
Aside from getting out (nightlatch) what about help getting in?
Okay, I'm sure firemen can break it down, but that takes time and negates the possibility of non-firemen hero-neighbour types who don't happen to own fire axes or battering rams.
Buy a shotgun instead.
😀
just get a tiger, have it roam around downstairs, sell the droppings to people with cat problems, and its win win
Seems a bit OTT to me
Maybe. We live in the countryside in house that's pretty much on it's own and, although we don't have much in the way of possesions, you never know who might think it's a good idea to pop in one night.
Frankly, if we did get burgled I'd not be too bothered about what they took but having seen the aftermath of a burglary at a mates house where they took a big kitchen knife upstairs (luckily they were away) I'd rather they couldn't easily get upstairs.
get a shotgun
Already have.... four.
As ernie says, use a euro mortice lock with thumb turn cylinder on the stair side.
It all sounds good to me but would doors locked from the inside be a danger in a fire situation?
Don't have a fire then. Fit smoke alarms, better still get your local fire service to fit them FOC
I'm also thinking about my three girls all of whom are under the age of 13.
Finding a key in the middle of a fire is why I have only been using the normal (small) latch on front door at night
It's an old (but vgood condition) solid wooden door with a mortice lock in the middle that is used only when we go out.
So should I be using the mortice lock at night ? Lock the mortice and leave the key in ? What do you do?
(rest of the house is IMO vsecure)
I think fire is a greater risk to most than violent burglary, just not as well covered by sensationalist journalism.
As ernie says, use a euro mortice lock with thumb turn cylinder on the stair side.
I [i]think[/i] he is talking about getting one of those locking door knobs which is why I suggest a nib like this :
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Although I agree that a euro mortice lock with thumb turn be better. Or even a night latch. You really don't want to be fumbling around on the dark as you are being overcome from smoke inhalation - it all just takes a few seconds so I am told.
The chances are, in a serious fire, you won't be using this door any way. An upstairs fire escape would probably be used.
Those knob handles with built in lock have a tendency to play up when you most need them.
The chances are, in a serious fire, you won't be using this door any way. An upstairs fire escape would probably be used
True.... why go down into the fire 😕
Yes we do have a very well placed window that goes out onto a single storey roof.
this is frigging weird-- i leave my door unlocked when we are in the house, the dog lives just inside, friendly, but loud.
Luckily i live in a 'rough' area, with a strong sense of community
we do have a very well placed window that goes out onto a single storey roof.
What sort of locks do you have on that ?
Just fit a child stair gate. They are a right PITA to open. any potential robbers would deff give up before getting up stairs!!
Luckily i live in a 'rough' area, with a strong sense of community
The locals don't shit in their own nest, they go out into the sticks to sharkbait's place for a new DVD player 😉
The locals don't shit in their own nest, they go out into the sticks to sharkbait's place for a new DVD player
There is some truth in that, there are know tiefs who live here, but as they're 'known' they tend to do their business elsewhere. The most prolific are all people with a drug problem, the sooner the drug issue is taken out of the criminal justice system and placed in health and education the better for all of society.
It won't stop all crime, but it will cut an awful lot of acquisitive offences,cannabis farms would be uneconomic with their attendant issues,there would certainly be less for the polis to be needlessly bothering with
Slam lock with a push pad on the inside.
Easy.
When we stayed with friends in South Africa they had internal steel doors to the bedrooms 😯
If you are concerned it's a good idea, it will provide a deterrent. We all have heard nightmare stories of burglars coming into bedrooms if they cannot find what they want downstairs
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Just fit a child stair gate. They are a right PITA to open. any potential robbers would deff give up before getting up stairs!!
Not as bonkers as it sounds. We haven't had a visitor yet that can open ours at the top of the stairs on thier way to the loo, and when you do it makes a loud audible clicking.
The other way of doing it is don't own anything of value. :-/ My hope is that a potential thief will look at our TV, laugh and walk away quietly...
You do do the whole New York apartment look to be a bit more secure?
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