uPVC and Patio Door Lock
Cylinder Replacement
So, you are looking to replace your uPVC door lock cylinder (Barrel).
Perhaps you have moved into a new property, and you have asked yourself, “Did your estate agent, a workman or the houses builders make duplicates or did they hand over all of the keys to your property?”
Maybe, a member of your family, home help or a previous owner has lost a set of your houses keys?
Now your looking to see, “How cheaply can I find a replacement on the Internet?”
The real question should be, “What is the real cost of buying a straight replacement or cheap cylinder for my conservatory?”
There have been a number of reports in the press and on television recently about a weakness in the locks on uPVC (PVCu) and patio doors that this weakness is clearly being exploited by burglars.
It’s a growing problem throughout the country. No special tools are needed and a burglar can break these euro profile cylinders in a matter of seconds and many websites disclose the methods used encouraging “copy-cat" burglaries.
This type of cylinder, commonly known as a euro profile cylinder, is used worldwide on uPVC, PVCu, aluminium and some wooden doors. However secure or elaborate the multi-point locking mechanism is, it is the cylinder that is the vulnerable area and if the cylinder is broken, the multi-point lock can be easily be opened in moments.
Click here to watch our videos or here to download our measurement and fitting guide. Both are designed to help with ordering the right size cylinder and fitting them correctly.
Currently, only two of the major lock manufacturers have come up with a practical a solution. Mul-T-Lock and Squire have designed a cylinder that still snaps, but it does so at a predetermined position which leaves the door secure. Mul-T-Lock have called their cylinders ‘Break Secure’ and Squire’s range is called ‘Snapsafe’.
Although these new cylinders are not guaranteed against all methods of attack on uPVC doors, they are a definite visual deterrent as the villains are finding out they are much more difficult to beat.
Squire and ERA, are approaching the crisis by offering cylinder enhancers. These are metal surrounds that can be secured to the existing cylinder underneath the door handle. ERA’s solution is particularly beneficial as it sandwiches the door and the cylinder in place, making it almost impossible to remove the broken cylinder.
Using one of these cylinder enhancers together with a Break Secure or SnapSafe cylinder is, we feel, the most effective solution currently available.
It is also extremely important to ensure that a cylinder is the correct size and properly fitted.
A Euro Profile Cylinder should never protrude more than 2-3mm passed the door furniture. Often, when cylinders have been replaced, the wrong size replacement has been used and this adds to the doors vunerablity.
To avoid becoming a victim of this type of forced entry, check all door cylinders and, if necessary, upgrade to ‘Break Secure’ or ‘Snapsafe’ ranges.
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