Behind Lock & Key

Each of us has different security needs. I recently looked around our house, and I wasn’t too surprised by the number of locks I found. With five outside doors, not counting the garage door, we use two keys for three types of locks (all but one are keyed the same). The glass deck door requires a key to unlock it from the inside, to prevent someone from breaking a panel of glass, reaching in, and unlocking the lock.

But what I found inside surprised me. All three bedrooms, the two baths, and the basement door have locks on them. Nothing sophisticated, mind you, just the type that allows you to push the inside handle and turn it clockwise to keep anyone from getting access from the hall. They’re easy enough to pick – all you need is a six-penny nail, which can be inserted into a hole on the outside cover plate to release the spring lock inside. My dad installed them for my siblings and me, acknowledging that even teens deserve some privacy. Now, with no kids here, we don’t need them for that, but they’re equally effective at keeping prying guests from poking into bedrooms during a party (and believe me, we’ve had party guests like that!).

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