House/External door: What locks? Letterbox? Security?

Martin_Knott-Lewis

House/External door: What locks? Letterbox? Security?

Hello,

Any locksmiths, carpenters, joiners or others with experience, please read and advise.:p

I’ve moved house and want to secure the front door from intruders, from previous key holders and to make it comply with insurance conditions, yet still retain easy escape in the event of a fire, etc.

I have a front porch with a hardwood door. The upper half has small panels of glazing. Some of these are rippled and others are bullion glass. The letterbox is half way up the door just below the glass. The door has two locks at about middle height and very close to each other. One is a Chubb mortice deadlock. The other is a Yale night latch with key-lock on the inside.

On the inside of the porch and opening directly into the hallway is a pine door with full length ripple glass panel. This door has a Yale night latch without key locking from the inside.

The external hardwood door does not match the 1930s period look. I had a joiner quote to fit a replacement but it was beyond my budget. He said it was quality wood, the next best hardwood after oak, (Mer….something?) and strong and expensive glass (the bullion at least) and he suggested keeping it and replacing the rotten softwood frame with a hardwood new one. I think that is the route to go, for now at least.

Meanwhile, I want to replace the locks and think I could do this myself.

I have removed the Yale night latch from the inner door and can remove the cylinder to replace only that and the keys, which should be cheaper.
Is it the right lock though? I can’t lock this door from the inside. I could swap it with the one on the external door?

For the external door, do I need both lock types?
Do I need to replace the whole component?
Should one lock be further down the door to prevent the door being kicked in?

As to the letterbox, this is only 19 x 5.5cm (7 & ½ ins x 2 & 1/4ins) and has a very strong spring to push against to get post in. All post gets creased (shame for postcards) and some is left stuck half way (an invitation to burglars).
I would like to replace this with a larger one that can fit A4 envelopes and small packets. The postman said an outward opening flap with draft excluding brushes would be best.
I thought of a metal sided post box inside the porch to contain the post and prevent anyone peering into the porch. I don’t want anyone to be able to get the post out from the letterbox outside.

It did occur to me to remove all locks from the outer door to give the postman access to the porch to drop off parcels but I think this would compromise the security of the house and maybe put the parcels at risk?

Does anyone have and thoughts and ideas or advice please?

Thanks.

Martin (not Lewis)

Martin_Knott-Lewis

Also, I notice when looking at the Howdens doors & joinery brochure that they depict all external doors with a door handle. I seem to recall my insurers asking if I pull the door shut with a door handle.

At present, I pull the door shut from exerting force on the key still in the mortice latch.

I suppose a door handle would require a mortice sashlock?

Martin_Knott-Lewis

Bump!;)

.....Anyone?

Please!.......

lagi

If you are worried about security i would put a similar lock to the porch door onto the second door, then you have 2 forms of security. You say this locks only from the inside, that is ok if your in but i think you are looking for more security.

The spring on the letterbox should be easier, it is likely to be a wound spring, so this is without seeing it, cut a little off the end of the spring so it doesn't have so many winds and becomes weaker. Alternatively replace spring.

Insurance wise ring your company and see if they have any preference to lock types, some like 5 lever stuff. It may not be stated so you could fit what is best within your budget.

MrYorke

same as above really, check with your insurer as to what standard of fittings they require.

The wood the joiner quoted on may have been meranti.

Basically, the strength of a door in terms of security is not dependant on the door or lock itself, but the frame it sits in. If its softwood then obviously it isn't as strong as hardwood. There are however, lots of variables that determin levels of strength and security.

I nevr recommend uPVC to friends and family as the (uPVC) panels can easily kicked or cut through by a burgler.

nickj_2

one of my near neighbours had an expensive upvc door with all the deadlockes etc - the other night their house was broken into - thru the front door , apparently they got in very easily , obviously i won't go into details here ,but it was locked and not forced open if i had a upvc door then i would have serious concerns about its security