Thumb locks on external doors yes/no?

n30_mkii

n30_mkii

n30_mkii

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Alfreton,Derbyshire
Just about to order some new locks for my house, and I'm contemplating switching the inside to thumb locks for a couple of them. Probably going to go with Avocet locks but we were previously put off on a door we did in the past as the thumb lock design auto locked on leaving, so really east to lock yourself out. I just want a manual thumb on the inside, but still use key to lock the door on the outside when leaving.

Interested to hear your thoughts

fyi there is 25mm clearance around the door key hole to turn it
 
Have thumb locks on both front and back doors. The front door is one where you always need a key to unlock. Whereas the back ones are the type where you have to lock (key or thumb) in order to lock the door.

It's great at night when all I have to do is turn the thumb lock to lock it rather than faff around with keys.
 
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n30_mkii said:
Just about to order some new locks for my house, and I'm contemplating switching the inside to thumb locks for a couple of them. Probably going to go with Avocet locks but we were previously put off on a door we did in the past as the thumb lock design auto locked on leaving, so really east to lock yourself out. I just want a manual thumb on the inside, but still use key to lock the door on the outside when leaving.

Interested to hear your thoughts

fyi there is 25mm clearance around the door key hole to turn it
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Its not the thumb lock that auto locks its the lock. You need a mortice lock with a thumb turn.

You need something like this but with the right dimensions.

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I prefer a key, you can't break the patio windows or use the glovebox to turn a key that's not there, whereas you can turn a thumb lock.
 
ChrisD. said:
I prefer a key, you can't break the patio windows or use the glovebox to turn a key that's not there, whereas you can turn a thumb lock.
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This is only a problem if you drive a nice car like you :D (m5 I recall?)

Aside from the security concern which I can get, I much prefer them and have them. I think the convenience outweighs it.
 
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We installed avocet locks a few years back, keyed alike so you could use the same key in all the doors. I didn't bother with the thumb turn version at the time but recently updated the conservatory door and decided to go with the thumb turn version this tine. It's much better, no need to faff around with keys etc. So much so I am tempted to change the others to match but can't really justify the cost to replace perfectly serviceable locks which are only a few years old.

Short answer: go with the thumb turn.
 
ChrisD. said:
I prefer a key, you can't break the patio windows or use the glovebox to turn a key that's not there, whereas you can turn a thumb lock.
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Glovebox?

Whether this is an issue on the front door depends on the design of the door and any side windows. On the patio, if you’re going to smash part of it but there’s no key you could just smash the rest so you can get in.
 
Stu999 said:
Glovebox?

Whether this is an issue on the front door depends on the design of the door and any side windows. On the patio, if you’re going to smash part of it but there’s no key you could just smash the rest so you can get in.
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I agree, I think it's only an issue if you've got small glass panels. If you've got a big panel then it's not going to make any difference.
 
100% thumb locks. So much easier... If they're smashing windows they're already in.
 
We had a new front door last year and had a thumb lock on the inside. The door still locks if you just close it and needs a key on the outside to open but for the double lock, the twisty thing on the inside is all that’s needed. It’s much better than having to use a key to double lock the door at night.
 
definitely wouldn't want self locking .. if you walk out front door w/o key, to bins/garage you are locked out ?

Thumlock all the way on front door - relations had a keyed lock installed due, as mentioned, security, but, now, if there were a need to get out fast you need to find the dam key,
they have an additional door limiter too https://www.toolstation.com/door-restrictor/p87548
 
jpaul said:
definitely wouldn't want self locking .. if you walk out front door w/o key, to bins/garage you are locked out ?

Thumlock all the way on front door - relations had a keyed lock installed due, as mentioned, security, but, now, if there were a need to get out fast you need to find the dam key,
they have an additional door limiter too https://www.toolstation.com/door-restrictor/p87548
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I grew up on a split spindle (door locks when shut) and then most places I've lived have Yale locks. In all my years I've only been locked out once lol.

I have a slam door now so it's slightly more forgiving than a Yale lock.
 
Buffman said:
This is only a problem if you drive a nice car like you :D (m5 I recall?)
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Not really bothered about the car, they're insured. I'm bothered about some scrote inside my house whilst my wife and child are asleep.
Stu999 said:
Glovebox?

Whether this is an issue on the front door depends on the design of the door and any side windows. On the patio, if you’re going to smash part of it but there’s no key you could just smash the rest so you can get in.
Click to expand...
True but opportunist thieves won't want to break glass, if they can get in using tools via the glovebox they will do that, if it fails they're more likely to move on to another house vs smashing down the door or breaking glass.

It's just my opinion of locks based on speaking to police and I'm good mates with a locksmith.
 
Thumb turns and security film on any adjacent glass. Strikes a good balance between convenient and secure.

I had keyed inside locks on my patio doors due to concerns about someone breaking the window, but a while back I read a story about a kid who was trapped in a house fire and couldn’t escape because they didn’t have the key. Promptly changed to thumb turns and put security film on the glass.
 
Scuzi said:
I had keyed inside locks on my patio doors due to concerns about someone breaking the window, but a while back I read a story about a kid who was trapped in a house fire and couldn’t escape because they didn’t have the key
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Any modern house or house with modern PVC windows should have thumb lock releases on them on the ground floor.
 
ChrisD. said:
True but opportunist thieves won't want to break glass, if they can get in using tools via the glovebox they will do that
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ah letterbox in the UK - thought this was some obscure car break in strategy - spring on our letterbox will decapitate anything.
 
Scuzi said:
I had keyed inside locks on my patio doors due to concerns about someone breaking the window, but a while back I read a story about a kid who was trapped in a house fire and couldn’t escape because they didn’t have the key. Promptly changed to thumb turns and put security film on the glass.
Click to expand...

Same logic here, we dont want to be faffing around looking for keys in an emergency.
 
Surely a good compromise between "thumb-lock always accessible without key" and "need to find key in emergency" is "leave key in the door while at home and remove when going out"?

Granted there's an extra cost in getting an extra key cut, but means you get the convenience of always being able to unlock the door from inside in an emergency (provided you've left the spare in place), whilst also being more secure when you are out of the house as there is no key in the door?

The only minor inconvenience we have with this is that if the key is in the door then you can't unlock it from outside with the key, but since this only occurs when someone is already at home, you just get them to let you in :)
 
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I swapped mine to thumb turn after moving in. There’s no glass near by and the convenience and emergency exit was more important to me.
 
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