Mortise lock question

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drag0n

Registered User
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18
Hi,
my house insurance requires me to have a 3 point mortise lock. How can I tell if I have this?

As far as I know I have a mortise lock (mechanism is inside door, and the lock and latch go into receivers in the frame), but it has a replaceable barrel (which I have replaced) that takes a flat key. So I am not sure if it is a '3 point' lock.

The door does also have levers which lock into slots in the frame when I turn the door handle upwards.

Thanks
 
hi drag0n do you mean a 3 lever mortice lock? the lever refers to the workings inside the lock itself and more levers inside the lock the stronger it is ,most locks have the number of levers written on the face plate.
 
hi drag0n .. based on your description it sounds like you have the correct lock... you can replace the barrell in any door lock whether single or 3 point.. but based on the levers description locking in at multiple points, it sounds like it is 3 point
 
hi,
i do believe that insurance companies require the mortice lock to be 5 lever. 3 lever are not much good. I think they meant 3point locking which os the 3 points on the frame which lock when you l;ift up the handle.
Ring your insurance for clarity.
 
Thanks guys.
To quote the company 'assumptions':
"All outside timber and French doors are fitted with at least three-lever mortise deadlocks."
To be honest I think my current lock is better than this (with the locks that engage into the door jamb) but obviously I don't want the insurance company to screw me if there ever is a break in.

I rang them anyway and they said that having a monitored alarm supersedes the lock rule so it doesn't matter in the end. But they were not able to help me with the details of the lock. Their '3 lever' rule is probably a catch-all that maybe applied to more houses 5 or 10 years ago.
 
dragOn,

It reads as if you have a multi point lock (3 point) with a deadlock which is a mortise type lock. The minimum standard you will find is 3 lever with 5 lever being the normal specified for additional security, as mr tiddles says its to do with the inner working and 'pickability' of the lock.
 
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