Installing a deadbolt or security lock can be a simple task or much more difficult depending on if it is a replacement lock or a new lock and also if you are home improvement impaired or not. Maybe you are adding a deadbolt to an existing door, maybe you have replaced a door, maybe you lost your keys or maybe someone you no longer want to have a key to your home still has that key. If you go into your local home improvement store or hardware store, an employee there will be able to recommend the right brand of lock to suite your budget and needs. However, that employee is not going to come home with you and install the lock for you.
Each deadbolt is just a little different but has the same general idea behind installation. The piece that goes on the outside of your door, where will need a key to release the lock, has a stem piece called a “tell”. You will need to make sure the “tell” is turned away from the door edge, usually clockwise, so that the lock will function properly. Then place the lock into the hole in the door. You will have two plates that go on the inside of the door, the security plate and the thumb plate. The purpose of the security plate is to hold everything in place and the thumb plate has mechanism that you will manually turn to release the lock from inside the door.
The next step is to place the security plate over the hole and secure it to the lock piece on the outside that you previously placed with the bolts that came with the lock. If you have trouble lining the bolts up with the external lock piece, you can pull that piece forward so that you can see where you are guiding the bolts. You will need a Phillips head screwdriver to tighten the bolts. Once you have secured the security plate and external lock to the door, place the thumb plate piece over the security plate and turn the mechanism to make sure that everything is properly aligned; you should see the lock bolt come out of the door frame. Secure the thumb plate with the bolts provided by the manufacturer. Once you have the lock installed test sides of the lock, the manual side and the key side to make sure everything is installed correctly. You will want to do this while the door is open so that if there is a malfunction you won’t be locked in or out of your home.
It is much more difficult to install a deadbolt on a door that does not already have a hole for the lock, such as a new door. You will need a special attachment for your drill to make the hole in the door. If you are not completely comfortable or “drill savvy” I would recommend having some one else install the lock for you such as a handy man or a friend that has done this before. Either way, installing a security lock is not as difficult as it may seem.
