This blog is a continuation of my January 31st Blog titled, “Deadbolt Locks For Child Safety and Bedroom Privacy.” In the previous blog I demonstrated how Thumb-Turn Only (or one-sided) deadbolts could be installed high up on the door, preventing small children from running out the door unattended or opening the door to a stranger. The problem with these locks is someone inside can lock all the doors, if the spouse comes home from work at an unscheduled time entry will be impossible without ringing the door bell or calling the person inside with a cell phone. Mom might be napping with the kids and cannot be woke up easily. Dad has a key but cannot unlock the one-sided deadbolts because there is no key hole on the outside.
I went through this experience with a customer many years ago and I had to return to re-install one lock which could be unlocked with a key. Since that time I have always recommended a contingency plan when one-sided deadbolts are getting installed. At least one of the deadbolts should have a keyhole on the outside so the spouse who is locked out can easily enter the house with their key without disturbing napping children.
The problem with installing deadbolt locks so high on a metal door is that most of the door is filled with Styrofoam. Most door manufacturers build solid wood cores where the locks are to be located, but it is very rare to find wood to support a lock installation the full height of the door. Many metal doors provide only enough wood inside the door to support a doorknob. I have installed many deadbolt locks 6 inches above the doorknob only to find the door filled with foam or cardboard. And I have removed many deadbolts to re-key a house for the new owner only to find the locksmith or carpenter never tightened the locks mounting screws because the door was filled with foam. Tightening the mounting screws would have crushed the door and caused the lock to bind.
The correct procedure for installing a lock in a hollow metal door is to install a filler around the locks mounting hole. This can be made out of wood on site, but the easiest and most professional way is to use an Ames Door Support. The door support allows the new deadbolt mounting screws to be tightened down firmly so the lock is tight on the door. It also keeps the lock centered in the door where the lock will function smoothly without hanging up or binding.
