So while not totally related to ETS, I can't help but seek the advice of others on the forum. For those who do not know what a double cylinder deadbolt lock is, it is a deadbolt that is keyed on both sides. You need a key on the inside as well as the outside of the door.

I'm getting a new place, a house in a "quiet" residential area. The kind with a front & back yard and neighbors next door. The front door is solid core, but is has a tempered window on the side that runs the full length of the door. These are very common.

From a security aspect, you should have a double cylinder deadbolt lock on any door within reaching distance of a window so the door cannot be unlocked by someone breaking the window. From a fire safety standpoint and having small children in the home, it poses a fire hazard of (anyone, particularly children) not being able to get out of the house through that door if there was a fire.

Are you for or against having a double cylinder deadbolt lock on your front door? What other factors do you consider? I've thought about what poses a greater risk, burglar or fire, and that is a tough one to answer. The area is good, crime rate is low, and I always lock the doors and windows. I also don't create fire hazards and keep things like the furnace and things well maintained & clean as well as keep fire extinguishers on each level of the home as well as kitchen, and garage.

So, your thoughts???

I've had a double cylinder in the past and just left my keys in the inside cylinder while I was home. Always knew where my keys were and didn't have an issue with fire.

Having been a licensed general contractor and custom home builder for 9 years, I can tell you they are against the building codes of every city and county I have built in.

I am not fond of them simply because there is the chance of being locked in during a fire.

Look to a security system with glass breakage sensors if you are that concerned about someone gaining entry thru the means you have listed.

Personally, I think if you have glass in or adjacent to your door they are a good idea. I'd also suggest you research 'lock bumping' and try to get locks that are resistant to this method.

I changed out our locks with Bilock cylinders.

As for fire, there are a number of options. You can keep a dish with a key near the door, but not so near that someone can reach in and nab it. You can keep one around your neck.

Personally, I think the key in the lock defeats the purpose.

I don't really care if someone breaks in while I'm gone and steals my stuff. Houses are not fortresses -- they will get in. What I do care about is if someone breaks in while I'm home. I want those few extra seconds to react. This is why lock bumping is so dangerous IMO -- it is fast AND quiet.

If someone breaks in while I'm home, I want to hear it and to have a few seconds to react. This is why when I replaced the windows I selected laminated glass for the downstairs windows. I want someone to work for it and to make some noise.

BTW, keep in mind regarding emergency escape, the windows are still an option. You can open them and leave that way too.

-john

I'm with Desperado on this - our city code is against double cylinder locks, but lo, there's one on our back door, probably installed by an earlier homeowner or pre-code. We keep the key in it 24/7/365. A door lock - any door lock - only provides $25-100 of security, or at most 30 seconds of time until someone gains entry. You are better off locking up your valuables with a much better level of security than your door locks can afford you. Personal protection - there are options there too, including alarm systems. On the other hand a double cylinder without a key in it can prevent egress of my wife or kids in the event of a fire, human loss = priceless. I know which side of the equation I come down on.

another thing you can check into in having the glass replaced with Lexan if the crook is determined to get thru that they are getting in anyway.
If you are handy with repairs and have the tools you could do it yourself

It really depends on a lot of factors. How many people live in the house, what is the layout like, how secure is the rest of the house, how close are the neighbors, etc. I would consider it only if I lived alone and the front door lock was the weakest point of entry in the house (which in most homes it isn't). If there are other people in the house, especially kids, the key will likely be left in the lock making it no more secure than a regular deadbolt, or the key will get misplaced causing more of an inconvienece than anything else. There is also the fire aspect to worry about, but unless that door is the only exit and there are no other escape routes nearby it isn't a huge concern for me.

I don't know how much security it would add to a normal house. Tempered glass is a lot harder to break than people think, and I suspect most burgalars would choose an easier and less exposed point of entry than the front door. Do you have any ground level windows? A back patio door? Are the door frames reinforced? All it would take is a swift kick to the door to break the door jamb, which would be a lot quicker than breaking the door window. If it were a back door that was out of sight from the neighbors and there were no other vulnerable entry points nearby I might consider it.

I installed the Double Cylinder Deadbolts on all of the exterior doors at my house.
However, the approach that I take is to leave the keys in the lock at all times... except for when we are going to be out of town for a few days. If we're to be out of town for a while, we remove the keys, and then we put them back as soon as we return home.
I just can't take the chance of my family being trapped by the locks, in the event of a fire or other emergency.

Besides, around here, burglars usually just kick in the door instead of fooling with the locks anyway.

Also, I don't like the idea of keeping the key "somewhere near" the lock. Thick smoke, dark, panic, or other factors might disorient you, and prevent you from finding that key when it really counts.

On the one door in my house that does have glass in it, I have a double cylinder lock. The key is kept near it, but not close enough to be grabbed should someone break the glass and reach in.

I don't have kids so I don't have to worry about them. Frankly, my escape plan in the event of a fire is a window. My one story house is not tall enough to break anything from jumping from a window.

But I do agree the best locks/doors will not stop a determined thief. At best you slow them down and make it too much of a pain in the butt to get into your house, so they move on to the next one.

That is more upgrade than I am looking for, but I'm sure works well. I agree with your thought process though. It is very close to mine. I don't mind if the intruder gets caught though.

My previous home had "Grade II w/ grade I features" Schlage deadbolts on exterior doors, and the keys were stamped 'Do Not Duplicate'. That does next to nothing, but it will probably stop the babysitter. Charlie bar on the sliding door, pins on all windows, locking grates on basement windows, perimeter motion lighting as well as timed lighting in and out. I always do a perimeter check before bed to 'fix' what others left undone. Getting the whole family on board takes time. Especially for the youngest. The perimeter was well visible so there were no hiding places. I also had an custom alarm system and firepower to handle intruders. I won't mention everything, but I'm comfortable with the level of security I will put into the place. I've just never been one to make up my mind on the deadbolt question.

Additional detail on the new place: The storm door already has a double cylinder deadbolt. The house does not. I'm deciding if either or both should have one at all.