How to Make Sure Your Deadbolt Lock Is Functioning Correctly

Deadbolt locks can significantly increase the security of your home or business, but only if they are installed and working correctly. Here are some ways to determine if your deadbolt lock is functioning correctly.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• knife or ice pick

1. With the door open, operate the deadbolt from the inside and the outside. A double-sided deadbolt is operated with a key on both sides. A single-sided deadbolt is operated with a key from the outside and a thumb-turn on the inside.

2. When you have extended the deadbolt from each side, press against the end of the bolt to ensure that it has, indeed, locked in the extended position. If you are able to push the deadbolt back into the door without turning the key or thumb-turn, it needs to be repaired or replaced. The same is true if the bolt does not withdraw completely when the key or thumb-turn is used to unlock the deadbolt.

3. Note how far the key or thumb-turn turned in the previous step to extend the bolt to the locked position. Now close the door and lock the door from the inside. If the key or thumb-turn does not turn as far with the door closed as it did when open, the bolt is probably not extending all the way, and is, therefore, not actually locked.

4. If the bolt does not fully extend when the door is closed, check the mortise beneath the strike. Most deadbolts will extend one full inch. Is the mortise beneath the strike deep enough to allow the bolt to fully extend? If not, remove the strike plate, use a drill to deepen the mortise, and replace the strike plate. Test the deadbolt again.

5. Check for signs of wear between the bolt and the strike plate. The bolt should extend without contacting the plate. If the plate interferes with the bolt's travel, the strike plate should be adjusted. Another sign that the strike plate requires adjustment is if you must push, pull, lift, or push down on the door in order to lock the deadbolt.

6. If a strike adjustment is necessary, remove the strike plate and test the deadbolt again. If the deadbolt operates freely, then you should be able to make the adjustment in location of the plate to allow the deadbolt to work properly. If there is resistance with the plate off, you will need to enlarge or deepen the mortise cut in the door jamb before attempting to replace the strike plate.

7. This is also a good time to check the strike plate mounting screws. Many deadbolts come with strike plate mounting screws that are less than an inch long. This type of installation offers little security, as the strike plate is only secured by the wood trim. Attach the strike plate with 3 inch wood screws in order to tie it into the structural framing members around the door opening. This type of installation offers far greater break-in protection.

8. If you are unsure whether the deadbolt has actually locked in the extended position, close and lock the door from the inside. Use the tip of a knife or an ice pick to attempt to retract the bolt through the gap between the door and the strike plate. If you can observe bolt movement, or if you see the inside thumb-turn moving, the bolt has not locked in the extended position and repairs must be made.

Tips & Warnings

• This is a good time to add door or jamb reinforcement, or a high-security strike. These items, available from hardware stores or your local locksmith, greatly increase your door's resistance to break-in attempts.
• Your deadbolt should operate with no resistance when locking or unlocking. If the strike and bolt are not properly aligned, the bolt will suffer greatly increased wear and will likely fail. If the failure occurs with the door closed, you may find yourself locked in your house. Make or have the repairs made before there is a failure.
• In general, the use of double-sided deadbolts is not recommended. If there is glass near the lock that could be easily broken that would allow an intruder to reach in and unlock the door, you might want to use a double-sided deadbolt. But double-sided deadbolts present a danger when occupants need to make an emergency exit. In many cases, deadbolts are not allowed by code in commercial applications due to life safety concerns. The middle of the night, blinded by smoke, is no time to be searching for a key. I never recommend double-sided deadbolts in homes with children.
• If you are one of those who choose to use a double-sided deadbolt, and leave the key in the interior side, consider having the interior and exterior sides of the deadbolt keyed differently. This would prevent anyone from taking the interior key and using it to gain access from the exterior at a later time.

Resources

• Altic Lock Service

[jull14]

on 6/29/2009 Excellent article. I enjoy reading this article so much. It was very helpful and the steps are very clear and easy to follow. Please continue writing article like this, thanks