SmartKey / SmartCode / SmartScan -- to easy to break-in?

[Eyes_Only]

I live in a apartment complex with cameras everywhere so I just added the wrap around plates on my door and reinforced the strike with 3 inch screws that goes straight into the frame of the building, not just the door frame.

And I just use a Schlage deadbolt that I re-keyed with spool and serrated drivers to give the possible skilled burglar something fun and time consuming to work with.

[globallockytoo]

IF were on the discussion on double keyed deadbolt- If I was to install one, I would secuerly fasten it to a chain, hanging out of the doors reach (so someone could not smash the door front window, grab the key and unlock.)

Having that key on the chain or small aircraft cable wire which is able to easily reach the door lock, would be okay. (basically beside my front door, there is a small landing, and a door frame leading to the living room. We screwed the top of the cable to the inside of the living room door frame, and it can easily reach the front door lock from the inside. (if someone smashed the window, the cable and key is not even visible and still physically out of reach.

While I understand your motivations here, I have a hypothetical situation for you. One that many fire marshals take into consideration and apparently were a big impetus for the IBC to mandate single cylinder.

Lets say, you have installed a double cylinder lock to your primary entrance door. You lock the door at night before you go to bed. You leave the key out and it is still connected to that wire within reach of the door.

Lets say, some old wiring in your house (common problem - apparently) gets overloaded and warms up, igniting the materials inside your walls. It is very common that smoke and flame will begin with the walls of your dwelling, smoke will flood the house while you and the family are sleeping. Sure your smoke detector might sound, but you are still required to find that darned key (knowing it is there - but you are in panic mode) in a smoke filled room where visibility is at a minimum, the power is out, it is dark, smoky etc etc.

You find the key attached to the wire and attempt to insert in in the lock but you have difficulty locating the keyhole. You see where I'm going?

Or you have a single cylinder deadbolt and you are outside the dwelling in seconds rather than minutes.

Which is safer for you and your loved ones?

[globallockytoo]

Oh....I agree with you. And to be fair, I personally have double cylinder deadbolts on my own primary entrance doors, and yes I leave a key in close proximity to those doors.

But, the law is the law. As a professional locksmith, I am required to recommend solutions that are legal and justifiable. Personal use is simply your own choice, but in todays age of litigation, it is not worth it to chance being called out on your professional recommendations, if you deliberately recommend solutions that do not comply with local laws.

I was simply stating the line. I will tell a customer that code compliance is the only line I can professionally recommend. I will often inform the customer of my opinion and of other laws in other cities in the world where i have resided. Whether or not those laws are better or worse than the local laws, is irrelevant and simply opinion.