Common to security door locks irrespective usually of the brand in most cases will all have an internal key-less snib locking option. In most cases this is located below the handle and above the cylinder. At Seconline we use Austral locks; these locks exceed the current standards and have been fully tested with Seconline security screen doors both sliding and hinged.
These locks also can be installed to a 7 mm diamond door; however, when using the internal snib key-less lock one will have to be mindful of the openness of the mesh that may allow a finger or a foreign device to be used by an intruder who may be trying to gain unwanted access from the outside. 7 mm diamond pattern would even allow a small hand to gain access. One way to minimise this would be to install a Perspex guard which is available on the at Step 3 of the Product Builder when ordering your door. This can be installed either at the factory or it can be ordered and installed at a later point quite easily. It is simply a matter of removing the two screws that are located top and bottom of the inside door furniture and installing the Perspex guard then replacing the handles and the screws. This Perspex guard will have the benefit of giving great prevention of access to the internal snib when used on a diamond door. It also will protect the fly mesh from fingernails tears, wear and tear from keys, etc.
316 Marine grade stainless steel door, for a hinged or a sliding door, a Perspex guard is certainly not necessary because the closed woven steel mesh patterns will not allow hands or fingers to penetrate the mesh. If you were concerned that someone was using steel wire or something that actually could penetrate the mesh then a Perspex guard may be something that you should consider. It is significantly more difficult to gain access with these doors as opposed to a 7 mm diamond security screen door.
One significant advantage of having an internal snib is the ability of having fast access in the case of an emergency such as a fire or where using a key will significantly slow down the exit speed of your door. If needed, all that is necessary to unlock the door whether it be a single lock or a three-point lock is to rotate the snib back to the 12 o'clock position, then pull down on the handle and immediately the door will open for access. This is also a very good option for elderly people or people who have difficulty with their sight locating a key. This can be very time-consuming and very frustrating for a lot of people and in most cases it is quite dark or darker than outside. If key access is needed on the outside then obviously the amount of light would usually be better to be able to locate the key.
A feature of Austral deadlocks use for all of our doors at Seconline is the deadlocking feature when a key is used to lock the door. It is very important to remember that once a key is used to lock the door then the internal snip will also be deadlocked and the key-less function will not be available. For example if a person were to leave their home and lock their door as per normal with the key on the outside then the total lock is completely deadlocked and no longer would anyone be able to exit without a key. If this were to occur then a key would have to be provided to anyone remaining on the inside to exit.
If at any point you are confused or need further clarification in regard to the function of Austral locks used at Seconline we would encourage you to contact the office on 1300 735405 during office hours or email us at info@seconline.com.au.
