Keyless Egress and Why We Recommend It for our Doors

A strange conversation we have with almost every customer revolves around the idea of “would you like a key lock on the inside of your door?”. We’re used to a very basic Eurolock system in the UK: where one metal barrel goes all the way through the door with the same key lock inside and out. That situation has been in white plastic front doors for decades and, obviously, the very traditional timber entrance doors would have the old mortice lock with the keyhole running all the way through too.

Danish doors and at lot of UK doors designed for new homes come with a keylock outside, and a thumbturn inside. And this is an arrangement which we suggest most people choose to have.

Why and How is this Secure?

The first important question to answer is whether or not we’re creating a break-in risk by having a lock that can be turned without a key on the inside. Unlike doors of old, modern doors are required to come with safety and security glass. For us, we always use a glass unit that has both toughened and laminated panes. It’s incredibly difficult to smash through this; 3rd party security tests have showed equally successful burglary prevention, regardless of whether the internal side of the door has a thumbturn or a key lock. These days, glass simply isn’t the weak point it once was.

If the thumbturn is being turned, the person turning it is highly likely to be already on the inside. And that can be incredibly convenient, essential in some cases and can actually create a more secure environment.

Enhanced Safety in Emergencies

In the event of an emergency, such as a fire or break-in, the last thing you want to worry about is fumbling for a key. A thumb turn allows you to quickly and easily unlock the door from the inside, giving you a fast and safe exit route. This can be especially crucial if you have young children, elderly family members, or anyone with mobility issues.

According to UK building regulations, a window or a door suitable for fire egress in your home can have key locks and child-proof restrictors fitted (at the same time). We casually recommend taking a moment to consider whether that’s a good or bad decision for you and your family.

Internal Thumbturn on a Lacuna Bifold Door

Outward opening double entrance door with internal thumb turn

Convenience

With an old internal key lock, you’ve either left that key in the door or it’s somewhere else. So, practically, you’ve either adapted the lock to work as a thumbturn already, or you have the extra annoyance of finding the key before ticking an item off the todo list.

With keyless egress, you no longer need to keep track of a key when you’re inside your home. Whether you’re heading out quickly to take out the bins or popping out to grab something out of the car, the thumb turn does save hassle on a lot of occasions – that annoyance adds up!.

STM Entrance door with thumb turn lock inside internal

Lacuna Internal Bi fold door handle with internal thumb turn locking scaled

Increased Security

While the exterior lock still requires a key, the internal thumb turn ensures that once you’re inside, you can securely lock the door super quickly and easily. This reduces the risk of accidentally leaving the door unlocked. Again, it’s that convenience factor adding up. We all lead busy lives; having a simplified process to do an incredibly important task multiple times per day can make a huge difference overall.

Entrance door with handle and lock on a rose

Warranty on New Homes

If you’ve bought or self-built your own brand new house, it’s very likely you have a warranty attached to the property, and the vast majority of new home warranties in the UK are provided by the NHBC. If you’re using a different firm, check through their conditions, because they will have a good number of requirements when it comes to safety and security. NHBC in particular state “Locking devices fitted to main entrance doors should permit emergency egress without the use of a key when the home is occupied.” ie: your front door must have a thumbturn internally.

STM Internal thumb turn and window handle on a terrace door

Origin Internal door with handle and thunb turn lock scaled

Should you Go for It?

If you’ve read all of this, yet still would like a proper keylock on the inside…no problem! It’s still very much an option from our manufacturers and, as long as you’re on the right side of building regs, we’ll happily provide you with your preferred solution. Some of our factories even offer double locks where you need two keys to get through one door, so we really can offer anywhere on the scale.