JHZR2
Staff member
Hi,
My current plan is to close on my home at the end of this month.
Other than going to college and grad school (and the apartment from then I still live in because its so cheap and decent), my family has never moved. My parents have obtained two additional homes in their time, but they built both new. Our main home used to be lied in by my grandparents long ago... So I and they have no real experience...
When you buy a preexisting home from someone, is it standard procedure to replace all of the outer locks? I totally trust the folks Im buying my home from, but all the same.. is it just the thing to do?
If I want to replace locks, what is the brand to buy? I plan on living here a good while, its a great home that my fiancee and I both love. I dont mind spending a few extra bucks... is Schlage the best brand? I seem to see them used in a lot of high utilization lock systems.
OK question number two... antique door handles and associated lock systems... My parents have one of these that is very similar, but they have an outer entry (with this kind of lock) and then an inner entry (with a deadbolt with key on both sides)... Im talking about a door that has an inside and outside handle, with an outer keyhole, an inner quarter turn thing, and a second 'bar' that comes out from the mechanism to be an extra lock, besides the little thing that the doorknob turns...
Sorry my description is so poor...
The issue is this: there is only one exterior door on the front of the house (i.e. not a mudroom or whatnot with an interior fully locking door). The door is an original, antique, very nice old wood, with beveled (I think thats the right term) glass and lots of it. Looks perfect.
If I want to rekey this one, I need to replace the tumbler without replacing the rest of the mechanism (to keep it original). Is this doable?
Now, the bigger issue... the inside had a quarter turn mecanism to push out the other additional heavier locking 'thing'... they took off the quarter turn handle, so now if you want it really double locked, you have to do it from the outside with the key. I suppose its too easy to break the glass and let yourself right on in, if the hande is there. So, the question is, is there a way to retrofit this to, say, a deadbolt with a keyhole on the outside and inside, without ruining the original look? If not what would you suggest for optimal security while maintaining the old door? Dont use that double lock and install a second deadbolt with a keyhole on the inside and outside to prevent intrusion???
Sorry once again that this is so long and poorly described... Im just trying to learn things that I dont know much about.
Any advice or insight would be most appreciated. Thanks!
JMH
My current plan is to close on my home at the end of this month.
Other than going to college and grad school (and the apartment from then I still live in because its so cheap and decent), my family has never moved. My parents have obtained two additional homes in their time, but they built both new. Our main home used to be lied in by my grandparents long ago... So I and they have no real experience...
When you buy a preexisting home from someone, is it standard procedure to replace all of the outer locks? I totally trust the folks Im buying my home from, but all the same.. is it just the thing to do?
If I want to replace locks, what is the brand to buy? I plan on living here a good while, its a great home that my fiancee and I both love. I dont mind spending a few extra bucks... is Schlage the best brand? I seem to see them used in a lot of high utilization lock systems.
OK question number two... antique door handles and associated lock systems... My parents have one of these that is very similar, but they have an outer entry (with this kind of lock) and then an inner entry (with a deadbolt with key on both sides)... Im talking about a door that has an inside and outside handle, with an outer keyhole, an inner quarter turn thing, and a second 'bar' that comes out from the mechanism to be an extra lock, besides the little thing that the doorknob turns...
Sorry my description is so poor...
The issue is this: there is only one exterior door on the front of the house (i.e. not a mudroom or whatnot with an interior fully locking door). The door is an original, antique, very nice old wood, with beveled (I think thats the right term) glass and lots of it. Looks perfect.
If I want to rekey this one, I need to replace the tumbler without replacing the rest of the mechanism (to keep it original). Is this doable?
Now, the bigger issue... the inside had a quarter turn mecanism to push out the other additional heavier locking 'thing'... they took off the quarter turn handle, so now if you want it really double locked, you have to do it from the outside with the key. I suppose its too easy to break the glass and let yourself right on in, if the hande is there. So, the question is, is there a way to retrofit this to, say, a deadbolt with a keyhole on the outside and inside, without ruining the original look? If not what would you suggest for optimal security while maintaining the old door? Dont use that double lock and install a second deadbolt with a keyhole on the inside and outside to prevent intrusion???
Sorry once again that this is so long and poorly described... Im just trying to learn things that I dont know much about.
Any advice or insight would be most appreciated. Thanks!
JMH