Locked out by Upvc door lock - help Post your questions and get answers concerning many areas of this subject

[bathpoolpete]

Hello,
my daughter recently moved house which has a front upvc door. The door only opens on entering with the key in the lock (i.e. the latch part doesn't operate unless the key is in the lock). But once inside you can open the door with the handle operating the latch - no key needed.
So went out without the key and could not open the door. Can we change the barrel or do something so the handles operate like a normal lock.

thanks

[rosebery]

No need to go to all that trouble - just take a key with you! Simples.

Cheers

[bathpoolpete]

[quote="rosebery"]No need to go to all that trouble - just take a key with you! Simples.

Cheers[/quote]
That's why she got locked out. only went to empty bin in garden and she didn't have a key on her! Door closed behind her - Locked out!!
I can only explain it as like having a nightlatch fitted (yale type) but without the facility to lock the latch in, so you can open and close the door at will until you physically release the latch with the button.

[TheIronmonger]

Unfortunately with UPVC doors you can not do much to the lock without replacing the door and that is a costly expence.
I suggest that you get what they call a keysafe which is a little box you screws to the wall (somewhere hidden) and it has a digial code on it to open it and it can store upto 3 keys in it. It costs around £30 but alot cheaper than a new door or a locksmith
I hope this helps

[allan the locksmith]

[quote="TheIronmonger"]Unfortunately with UPVC doors you can not do much to the lock without replacing the door and that is a costly expence.
[/quote]

you could convert a lot of locks with just a solid spindle instead of the split spindle set up she now has.

Tell her to open the door and lift the handle when shes just popping out.The door now cannot slam shut as the hooks or rollers are out.

[PNC]

You just need to change the handle or maybe the spindle.
You have what is called a "slit spindle mechanism". The gearbox will either have two followers to take two spindles (one works everything, the other works everything bar the latch) or one follower split into three. In that case the two side parts of the follower work the bolts/hooks/rollers etc and the centre part retracts the latch.
In the first case, you will need a new handle set, with the handles at the same height both sides. A split spindle or "padhandle" set will have handles at offset hights to each other.
In the latter, the spindle in the handle will be split into two. If that's the case just get one long spindle. Job done!
Hope that makes sense!!!