ATL: How do I keep my teenagers out of my bedroom?
Ask The Locksmith Question:I have double doors leading into my bedroom. I need to keep our teenagers out when we are not home. I installed a keyed interior lock but all you need is something slim to slip the latch. I have looked for a latch cover but can only find ones really made for exterior doors. I have been searching the web for an hour and finally tried "ask a locksmith" in the search engine. How can we secure our interior double doors?
Hi there...
First and foremost, more than anything else, we always suggest a deadbolt along with flush bolts in this situation, rather than a keyed entry knob. However, if you don't wish to install a deadbolt (which can not be simply "slipped" open), we'll go another way...
I'm assuming you already have flush bolts holding one side of the double doors in place when not in use. These would be slide type bolts, usually in/on the edge of one of the doors, one above, and one below, that slip into both a hole in the flooring and a hole in the top frame alongside the door edge itself. If you do not have flush bolts, installing them would be step one. There's no reason for both doors to swing freely, particularly when you're trying to secure the door. :)
Second step (even if you choose to install a deadbolt) would be to install a T-Astragal. This is a nice piece of molding, usually pine, which can be painted or stained to match your door (they also can come in basic colors already, depending on where you purchase it), and which serves to effectively block the gap between the double doors, thus preventing the casual slipping of your key-in-knob lock.
See examples of one type of T-Astragal here.
*Note: T-Astragal's, when made of metal, are sometimes known as "Mullions."
The end result of having both flush bolts, and a T-Astragal, would be one side of your double doors being stationary at all times when the doors are locked, and the gap between the doors, as well as the key-in-knob latch itself, being inaccessible when the doors are closed.
The kids could still get in, with a crowbar I suppose, but you'd definitely know, and there would be no way it could be played off, or explained off, as an "accident," or "the dog did it, I swear..." :) The T-Astragal is the length of the doors, and is firmly bolted into the entire length. Force would be required to get it off and have access to the gap in order to slip the key-in-knob lock.
I hope this helps...
Please feel free to give a yell back if you have more questions, or need further explanation.
Cheers & Happy New Year!
kim
