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Are You Using Double-Cylinder Deadbolt Locks?
I?m sure there?s not a residential door left in America that doesn?t have one or more deadbolts installed. These are the locks that require a key on both sides. I like them due to the added security they offer. If you have a door that?s near a window, or the door itself has windows, and the door locks are within reach of anyone sticking their arm through that window, then a double-cylinder deadbolt is probably the way to go. If all a burglar has to do is break the window and reach in and unlock your door locks, then the locks may as well not be there.
When the burglar reaches in and finds a deadbolt that requires a key on the inside, but the key is not there, then he is going to have to find another way to get into your house.
Yes, he can climb though the window that he just broke, but this is a little more trouble than just walking though the door. This is especially true if it is a small window relatively high off the ground. In addition, if the window has "burglar bars", well, his task is even more difficult.
Another reason I like double-cylinder deadbolts is the fact that, even if a burglar gains entry though a window, forcing him to exit the same way he came in makes his work harder. Imagine a burglar climbing in through a window. The first thing he would normally do is go to the door he intends to use as an exit and unlock it. This is not going to happen with a double-cylinder deadbolt that has the inside key missing. The burglar may want your nice new flat screen TV, but he?s going to have to get it out of the window if he wants it. If you have the more traditional single-cylinder deadbolt with the "twist knob" in place of the key, the burglar?s job is a lot easier.
One contractor told me that at least one industry association recommended that double-cylinder deadbolts not be used in homes due to the danger of trapping residents inside. Sure, you need to keep the key in the lock when you?re inside the home. You want to be able to get out fast in an emergency. You also don?t want to be inconvenienced every time you simply want to step outside the house.
I can understand the resistance some have for double-cylinder deadbolts, and I suppose that they aren?t for everyone. I can imagine that an elderly person with memory problems might forget to keep the key in the lock while they are in the house. This could definitely cause problems if a quick exit were required in an emergency.
Maynard