What good is a lock if it's not secure and properly installed? Here is a simple test to determine if your deadbolt is installed correctly. I inspect many homes where I find the deadbolts not installed correctly and make sure buyers are aware so it can be corrected. All you need is a marker such as a pencil or sharpie and a screwdriver.

First, close the door, lock the deadbolt and mark the center of the bolt's lock handle on the outer ring of the lock. If the lock is a keyed lock on both sides, then do the same with the key in the lock. If you can't see the mark using a pencil, then use an ink pen or sharpie. You can remove the ink with alcohol and paper towel.

Next, open the door and put the lock's handle in the same position at the center of the mark you made in the first step and push in on the lock's bolt. If the bolt will not push in, that's good, it means the bolt is fully engaging and locking into place when the door is locked. If you can push the bolt in, then the bolt is not locking properly and is not secure. Someone would slip a thin piece of metal or screwdriver through the jamb stop and possibly pry the bolt to the open position. In some cases, you could actually jiggle the door enough to get the bolt to retract because the bolt is not locked into place.

A bolt not fully engaging is usually caused from the hole in the middle of the deadbolt's jamb plate is not mortised deep enough. To make it deeper, you could get a wood chisel or flathead screwdriver and chisel the wood from the jamb or a drill bit and drill it out.

The other item you want to check are the screws that secure the deadbolt jamb plate in the picture above.

Remove one of the screws from the jamb plate and see if the screw is a long or short screw. If the length of the screw is a 1/2 inch screw as in this picture, then they need to be replaced. Screws this short will only penetrate the wood in the door jamb. This wood is only 3/4 inched thick and this would allow the door to be easily kicked in. Many installers of deadbolts are too lazy to install the correct screws that come with the lock which are 2 - 3 inches long. This would cause the screws to penetrate the 2x4 wood framing that the door is set into and make the door much harder to kick in. These long screws can prove to be difficult to install, so here is a tip. You can drill a pilot hole slightly smaller in diameter that the screw or I keep a jar of petroleum jelly around and dip the screw in the jelly, and will go in much easier without stripping out the head.

Hope this wasn't too confusing and that it helps. You are always free to email or call if you have any questions.

Kent Keith

Fort Worth Home Inspector