We are currently away for a couple of days, as we needed to carry out a couple of jobs to upgrade the security on our sister-in-laws home.
One of the jobs is on the side door which is Upvc and has a very low security level locking mechanism in it and has been condemned by her insurance company.
Indeed, most competent burglars and certainly a competent locksmith would gain entry within a matter of minutes and in most cases would be able to do it silently.
Jenelle rarely uses the door to enter or exit by, so financially it was not worth spending a lot of money upgrading the lock to the standard required by her insurance company. Instead, it was decided that we would fit locks that basically bar entry by not allowing the door to open from the outside. From the inside, you would have to manually move the locks to the side and the door could be used in the normal way.
Although this type of lock can only be operated from the inside, they are extremely cost effective. Unfortunately, there is little that can be operated from both the inside and outside that warrants the cost for most people. It maybe that the parts are not that expensive but the labour fees charged to fit them are often high due to the time it takes.
The locks should be fitted in pairs, one to the top and one to the bottom. By fitting the sash jammers as shown, it enhances the security level and providing they are used, the insurance companies are happy. There are a lot of properties which have similar problems, so if you have doors that are generally not used a lot and have a poor lock fitted in them it is well worth considering this sort of an option.