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> You can't leave through my (brand new, to-code) front door from inside without a key to unlock it first. I'm sure I'm just ignorant, but it sounds like your

> You can't leave through my (brand new, to-code) front door from inside without a key to unlock it first. I'm sure I'm just ignorant, but it sounds like your lock is on backward. Every front door I've ever seen can be unlocked from the inside without a key. Example: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Schlage-Deadbolt-Satin-Brass-Single-Cylinder-Deadbolt/1000089157 https://www.lowes.com/pd/Schlage-Deadbolt-Satin-Brass-Single... Could you link to a lock that's similar to what you're talking about? I'd feel very uncomfortable entering a house where I couldn't leave without a key.

v64 7y ago
Here's an example of my deadbolt that's keyed on both sides: https://i.imgur.com/xXzWS7j.png https://i.imgur.com/xXzWS7j.png
- samtho 7y ago
  Those are peodominately used in situations where someone could reach in (via a broken window or space between bars) and simply unlock it. A solid door should not have this type of lock in the US.
  - v64 7y ago
    It's not visible in the photograph, but this door has a glass window in the center of it.
  - coderholic 7y ago
    I think it could be a US / Europe thing. In the UK (where I'm originally from) I think almost all door locks I've seen require a key to unlock from the inside, but in the US (where I've lived for 7 years) I don't think I've ever seen one - they deadbolt usually has something that you can unlock by hand without a key from the side (and not even an option to lock it from the side with a key).
    - kwhitefoot 7y ago
      I'm also from the UK but I left more than 30 years ago. I feel nervous every time I visit my family in the UK because now they all have locks that require a key on the inside and frequently the key is misplaced. I understand the reason for it but I wish a better solution could be found.
  - briandear 7y ago
    > A solid door should not have this type of lock in the US. Why not? Someone smashes a window, crawls through it, walks around to unlock the main door, through which the burglars unload your stuff. It’s a lot harder to move things through windows.
    - kelnos 7y ago
      I think I'd rather optimize for fire safety than for the possibility that I might lose more stuff if someone breaks in and can more easily unlock my door from the inside.
    - tzs 7y ago
      What about the hinges? If the burglars are inside they can take the door off the hinges instead of unlocking it.
username90 7y ago
Most homes where I grew up in Europe had two locks, one which you could open without a key from inside and one which requires it from both sides. Not sure why it was like that, but it feels normal to me.
- Sharlin 7y ago
  Around here (Finland) basically all homes have locks that open without a key from the inside, plus optionally an extra lock that needs a key on both sides, for those who desire more security. I presume those extra locks are more common on house doors than apartment doors.
  - stevekemp 7y ago
    Yeah that's the same as the UK-setup as the parent described. 99% of the time most people use the latch, which would be a Yale lock in the UK, or a Abloy in Finland. You'd usually use the extra-lock if you went on holiday, or something similar. Most of the time it would be unused.
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
wongarsu 7y ago
This is what a lock in Germany and most of Europe looks like: https://proxy.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fmax-attachments.prod.hlpstr.de%2Fattachments%2Farticle_images%2Fimages%2F3975%2Ffull%2F5.jpeg&f=1&nofb=1 https://proxy.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fmax-attachme... It's the same from both sides (except for the screws, you can only unscrew it from the inside). Both the inside and the outside have a keyhole, and while a key is in one side you can't put a key in all the way from the other side (this way you can lock from the inside, leave the key in, and even someone with the key can't get in). Normally people don't lock the door while they are inside (maybe at night), on doors facing outside the door handle can't be turned from the outside and you have to use the key to get inside even when the door isn't locked.
- jotm 7y ago
  You can replace the lock with one of these: https://5.imimg.com/data5/EI/SP/MY-3690463/hardwyn-hcl-301-28one-side-key-one-side-knob-29-500x500.jpg https://5.imimg.com/data5/EI/SP/MY-3690463/hardwyn-hcl-301-2...
  - blattimwind 7y ago
    I don't think I ever saw these used in a residential setting. Commercial buildings are a different story.
    - twic 7y ago
      I have locks like this in my home. I got a new front door and locks when i moved in [1], and the locksmith offered me the option of these (it's called a thumbturn lock here), which of course i took, because it means you don't need a key to hand to open to door to let someone in, or to escape a fire. [1] because the previous owner's tenants had broken the door down at some point, and he had replaced it with an internal door, in which for some reason he had installed the lock upside-down
    - jotm 7y ago
      I've not seen them in Germany for example, but the cylinders were standard, so it's an easy swap (you can keep the old lock and swap it back if you leave). Keeps you from being locked out, for sure.

v64 7y ago

Here's an example of my deadbolt that's keyed on both sides: https://i.imgur.com/xXzWS7j.png https://i.imgur.com/xXzWS7j.png

samtho 7y ago
Those are peodominately used in situations where someone could reach in (via a broken window or space between bars) and simply unlock it. A solid door should not have this type of lock in the US.
- v64 7y ago
  It's not visible in the photograph, but this door has a glass window in the center of it.
- coderholic 7y ago
  I think it could be a US / Europe thing. In the UK (where I'm originally from) I think almost all door locks I've seen require a key to unlock from the inside, but in the US (where I've lived for 7 years) I don't think I've ever seen one - they deadbolt usually has something that you can unlock by hand without a key from the side (and not even an option to lock it from the side with a key).
  - kwhitefoot 7y ago
    I'm also from the UK but I left more than 30 years ago. I feel nervous every time I visit my family in the UK because now they all have locks that require a key on the inside and frequently the key is misplaced. I understand the reason for it but I wish a better solution could be found.
- briandear 7y ago
  > A solid door should not have this type of lock in the US. Why not? Someone smashes a window, crawls through it, walks around to unlock the main door, through which the burglars unload your stuff. It’s a lot harder to move things through windows.
  - kelnos 7y ago
    I think I'd rather optimize for fire safety than for the possibility that I might lose more stuff if someone breaks in and can more easily unlock my door from the inside.
  - tzs 7y ago
    What about the hinges? If the burglars are inside they can take the door off the hinges instead of unlocking it.

username90 7y ago

Most homes where I grew up in Europe had two locks, one which you could open without a key from inside and one which requires it from both sides. Not sure why it was like that, but it feels normal to me.

Sharlin 7y ago
Around here (Finland) basically all homes have locks that open without a key from the inside, plus optionally an extra lock that needs a key on both sides, for those who desire more security. I presume those extra locks are more common on house doors than apartment doors.
- stevekemp 7y ago
  Yeah that's the same as the UK-setup as the parent described. 99% of the time most people use the latch, which would be a Yale lock in the UK, or a Abloy in Finland. You'd usually use the extra-lock if you went on holiday, or something similar. Most of the time it would be unused.

deleted 7y ago

[deleted]

wongarsu 7y ago

This is what a lock in Germany and most of Europe looks like: https://proxy.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fmax-attachments.prod.hlpstr.de%2Fattachments%2Farticle_images%2Fimages%2F3975%2Ffull%2F5.jpeg&f=1&nofb=1 https://proxy.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fmax-attachme... It's the same from both sides (except for the screws, you can only unscrew it from the inside). Both the inside and the outside have a keyhole, and while a key is in one side you can't put a key in all the way from the other side (this way you can lock from the inside, leave the key in, and even someone with the key can't get in). Normally people don't lock the door while they are inside (maybe at night), on doors facing outside the door handle can't be turned from the outside and you have to use the key to get inside even when the door isn't locked.

jotm 7y ago
You can replace the lock with one of these: https://5.imimg.com/data5/EI/SP/MY-3690463/hardwyn-hcl-301-28one-side-key-one-side-knob-29-500x500.jpg https://5.imimg.com/data5/EI/SP/MY-3690463/hardwyn-hcl-301-2...
- blattimwind 7y ago
  I don't think I ever saw these used in a residential setting. Commercial buildings are a different story.
  - twic 7y ago
    I have locks like this in my home. I got a new front door and locks when i moved in [1], and the locksmith offered me the option of these (it's called a thumbturn lock here), which of course i took, because it means you don't need a key to hand to open to door to let someone in, or to escape a fire. [1] because the previous owner's tenants had broken the door down at some point, and he had replaced it with an internal door, in which for some reason he had installed the lock upside-down
  - jotm 7y ago
    I've not seen them in Germany for example, but the cylinders were standard, so it's an easy swap (you can keep the old lock and swap it back if you leave). Keeps you from being locked out, for sure.