RE: Central locking for houses

["Paul Gordon" <paul_gordon@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Only that this is a notoriously difficult thing to do... - I do recall
ther=
e
was a TV programme on this topic a couple of years ago, - I think it was
reported on AutomatedHome...

Among other things, difficulties are going be:

Integrating central locking hardware into your existing doors/windows... -
if you have modern uPVC units I know from experience that this can be a
nightmare. - Even trying to integrate a simple magnetic sensor for the
alar=
m
in a nice, tidy, integrated, "professional" looking manner isn't
easy.

Would you only do doors, or should you consider window too? - that makes
th=
e
whole proposition a lot harder... - the scrawny scroats an probably gain
access almost as easily through an open window as through a door, so if you
only do the doors, is it really worth the bother?

What operating model should you use in the event of a system failure? -
fail-unlocked, fail-locked? - will your home insurance be affected? - will
you operate this in addition to the manual locking mechanisms you currently
have, or would it be your sole means of securing the doors/windows.=20

At the simplest level, I guess you could just use solenoids to operate a
deadbolt, - but would you want latching ones that only need to be energised
in order to change state? - saves energy, but then how easy would it be to
operate them manually if you need to get out in a hurry with no
electricker=
y
available? (like a fire evacuation) - Alternatives that require constant
energising to remain in either the locked or unlocked position offer
possibilities for automatic unlocking during a power fail, but obviously
then introduce security concerns, and increased power consumption... Plus
just tacking on a hulking great solenoid and a deadbolt would never pass
muster in my house... :-)

It's a nice idea, and probably not that to implement if designed into the
fabric of a building at the outset, but as retrofit I'd imagine its more
aggro than its worth...

Just my =A30.02

Paul G.




> -----Original Message-----
> From: ukha_d@xxxxxxx [mailto:ukha_d@xxxxxxx] On
> Behalf Of Tim
> Sent: 22 April 2010 13:25
> To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
> Subject: [ukha_d] Central locking for houses
>=20
> Hi,
>=20
> I have a nasty feeling that one of the great unwashed got into my
house
last
> night.  Alarm sounded at 2:30AM and when I went to investigate all was
in
> order except for the smell of stale tobacco smoke in the conservatory
-
when
> I investigated further one of the doors was unlocked (our fault I
believe).  I
> think that the scroat must have tried the door, strolled in, tripped
the
alarm
> and fled empty handed.
>=20
> This is conjecture because all was exactly as we had left it and the
door=
s
> between the conservatory (no PIR) and the PIR that tripped were
closed, a=
s
> was the external door - I don't know if when fleeing from a house you
would
> close the doors after you - and had it not been of a suspicion of
smoke
I'd not
> have noticed anything and put it down to a false alarm.
>=20
> This has spooked my wife, so I have been investigating "Central
Locking" =
-
it
> would only have to be deadbolts on external doors - I can't believe it
would
> be a difficult thing to install.  Does anyone have it?  Know anything
about it?
>=20
> TIA
>=20
> Tim.
>=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
> ------------------------------------
>=20
>=20
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>=20
>=20
>=20


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