>From: mi...@yourjump.com (Mike Gnitecki)
>
>I recently moved into a new house. Unfortunately, the house came with
>a vertical window (approximately 11 inches wide by 58 inches high)
>installed right next to the front door, on the deadbolt side. In other
>words, anyone could just break the glass, reach in, and unlock the
>deadbolt.
>
>I've thought that perhaps the best way to add some security would be
>to use a lock that requires a key to unlock the deadbolt from the
>inside (and the key would not be kept in the lock). The downside to
>this option, though, is that a potential burglar would still break the
>glass (which costs money to replace) before he realized that he
>couldn't unlock the deadbolt. In addition, in the event of a fire,
>there could be some issues ("Where's the key to unlock the door?"). Is
>there a better way of securing this?
>
>Thanks,
>Mike Gnitecki
>
>
>
>
>
>
"Mike Gnitecki" <mi...@yourjump.com> wrote in message
news:f80080fe.03052...@posting.google.com...
> Hello,
Jim Billings
"--Shiva--" <no...@abuse.net> wrote in message
news:baoooj$pqb$0...@63.78.119.86...
> #1... go to the school architects go to and FORCE THEM to pass a
> test on life safety codes BEFORE they get their license... then
> they quit designing this...
>
> #2... someone else here can come up with the brand, but there IS
> (was) made a double cylinder dead bolt, that the inside key was
> trapped, UNTIL the key was inserted in the outside lock= then you
> could remove the inside key...
> open door, insert outside key, remove inside key, lock lock from
> outside...
> get home, insert key in INSIDE and its trapped again UNTIL you
> go thru this AGAIN...
>
>
> --Shiva--
> nuk pu nuk
>
Mike Gnitecki wrote:
>
> Hello,
And also improve/strengthen the framing holding it in place.
--
--henry schaffer
h...@ncsu.edu
That would make it *very* difficult to leave the home in an emergency,
such as a fire situation.
Remember that all you would need is to have the lock outside the reach
of the broken window - so it might as well be hanging on a hook on the
other side of the door. However I prefer the lexan suggestion which
doesn't add any fumbling around at all.
--
--henry schaffer
h...@ncsu.edu
--
Roger Shoaf
If you are not part of the solution, you are not dissolved in the solvent.
"Billy B. Edwards Jr." <bedw...@thelockman.com> wrote in message
news:3ED011A6...@thelockman.com...
http://www.emcoplastics.com/lexan.htm
Mike Gnitecki wrote:
>
> h...@hes01.unity.ncsu.edu (Henry E Schaffer) wrote in message news:<bap4eg$e4t$1...@hes01.unity.ncsu.edu>...
> > In article <3ED011A6...@thelockman.com>,
> > Billy B. Edwards Jr. <bedw...@thelockman.com> wrote:
> > >Change the glass to Lexan.
> >
> > And also improve/strengthen the framing holding it in place.
>
> Thanks to everyone for all of the replies. The Lexan option attracts
> me the most (no fire safety issues, etc). Approximately how much would
> the Lexan cost? $100? $200? $300? I don't want to spend a ton of money
> on this...
>
> Also, how critical would it be to strengthen the window frame? It
> sounds expensive...
>
> -Mike
IMHO doing something is important. This type of glass is often held
in with quarter-round going around its inside perimeter and fastened
with a few brads (at perhaps 1 foot intervals.) Strengthening this may
be as simple as adding more brads or screws to make sure that the
quarter-round isn't dislodged by a kick.
The rest of the frame may not be a problem.
--
--henry schaffer
h...@ncsu.edu
Remember that while Lexan/polycarbonate is very strong and shatter
resistant, it is also flexible. So if it is just held in by a few metal
brackets, a strong push might curve it enough to pop out of the brackets.
--
--henry schaffer
h...@ncsu.edu
> I'm thinking that perhaps the best option would be to mount the Lexan
> on the inside side of the glass, and hold it in place with a metal
> frame (or maybe just metal brackets?). However, I'll have to see how
> much this would cost. If it ends up exceeding $200 or $300, I will
> look at other options (i.e. the deadbolt).
>
You don't really need a metal frame. You probably have at least 3 inches
between the inside of the glass and the inside of the wall.
Get some wood strips and fasten them around the edge of the window frame.
Now fasten the Lexan with oval head wood screws every 6 inches or so. You
should also use finishing washers.
If your glass is close to the inside wall, cut the plastic larger and screw
it to the wall.
>I recently moved into a new house. Unfortunately, the house came with
>a vertical window (approximately 11 inches wide by 58 inches high)
>installed right next to the front door, on the deadbolt side. In other
>words, anyone could just break the glass, reach in, and unlock the
>deadbolt.
How much do you like the window? You could always check with a local
cabinetmaker about making up a piece of hardwood patterned/stained to
match the door and replacing the glass altogether.
Joe Bramblett, KD5NRH
kd5...@myway.com
Or consider replacing the glass with Lexan, if you want to keep the look
but have it be shatterproof. The good stuff ain't cheap, unfortunately.
--
Joe Kesselman, http://www.lovesong.com/people/keshlam/
{} ASCII Ribbon Campaign | "may'ron DaroQbe'chugh vaj bIrIQbej" --
/\ Stamp out HTML mail! | "Put down the squeezebox & nobody gets hurt."
Lexan and Plexiglass also become cloudy over time.
"Joe Bramblett, KD5NRH" <kd5...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:PYSMP6avP+0FF8...@4ax.com...
Part of this is how careful you are in cleaning 'em; they do scratch
more easily than glass. Lexan less so.
For some folks it's still the best option, even if they wind up
replacing the Lexan once or twice a decade.
Given that the post you are replying to is almost 5 months old he has probably
fixed it by now if it was a big problem.
> Given that the post you are replying to is almost 5 months old he has
> probably fixed it by now if it was a big problem.
Damn, I gotta quit switching servers. Long article retention is nice, but
it has its drawbacks.
--
Joe Bramblett, KD5NRH
It is true that the stuff scratches easy but it also seems to have to do with
UV exposure as it seems to become cloudy faster when constantly exposed to
sunlight.
If the OP wants security and doesn't want the big risk (an
unacceptable one IMHO) of having a keyed inside lock - then the security
risk of that large window *must* be taken care of.
Lexan (polycarbonate) is one solution (if the perimeter of the lexan
is securely fastened) - and if it becomes cloudy - so what? It can be
replaced every decade - and I don't think that a requirment of clarity
was stated. Another solution is to replace the large window with a
solid wall. But that may be unacceptable because of esthetics. Yet
another solution that can look good and let in light - is to replace the
window with a decorative window (e.g. stained glass) with a lexan sheet
behind (inside) it. That way the lexan is protected, and cloudiness
becomes less of an issue.
--
--henry schaffer
h...@ncsu.edu
From what I have read here it sounds like the window is only on one side of
the door. Perhaps another option would be to reconfigure the door window
such that the door either opens the other way (Great for lefties, but
annoying for the rest of us) or move the window to the other side of the
door (flip the whole thing upside down sort of and rehang the door the other
way.)
Maybe not the best ideas, but certainly worth noting :)
"Henry E Schaffer" <h...@hes01.unity.ncsu.edu> wrote in message
news:bmops2$h8d$1...@hes01.unity.ncsu.edu...
All good points. Just through the cloudiness issue out there because I have
known at least one person who was very dissapointed that it wouldn't stay clear
indefinitely.
I like it... though I might suggest the other way around, since that way
the lexan protects the decorative glass. This is partly a question of
whether you want it to look its best from inside or outside, admittedly.