Getting a Handle on the Differences in Doorknobs

There’s a lot to know about selecting a doorknob.

Besides the old-fashioned deadbolt, there are four basic types of doorknobs:

* Passage: Passage hardware is primarily used where a lock is not needed. This could be on a hall door, the door between the kitchen and dining area, or a secondary bedroom where a child might get locked in.

* Privacy: Privacy hardware is the opposite of passage. It has a lock built in. We commonly see privacy hardware on the master bedroom door, on a bathroom door and on the side door of the garage.

A privacy lock is designed to be unlocked from the inside of the room it protects, but also can be unlocked from outside the room with a small screwdriver.

* Keyed: Keyed hardware is like privacy hardware except that it can only be unlocked from the outside with a key.

Although we commonly see keyed doorknobs on exterior doors, they often are used on sheds and gates for added security, or on the inside of the home, on a closet, for example.

* Dummy: Dummy hardware is there for looks. It doesn’t do anything.

When you have double doors, chances are good the “inactive” door has a dummy on it to match the latch side. Dummy knobs also are used on doors where a latch exists at some location other than at the knob.

All door hardware is bright and shiny when new. However, with less expensive doorknobs the finish doesn’t last.

The key-lock system in cheaper locks can be opened by an adolescent with a hairpin.

Key-lock systems are available in 5- and 6-pin configurations. A 6-pin lock is harder to pick than a 5-pin. For exterior doors, the building code requires deadbolts.

*

For more home improvement tips and information, visit www.onthehouse.com. Readers can mail questions to On the House, APNewsFeatures, 50 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10020, or e-mail Careybro@onthehouse.com.