The Bay Area is not among the very crime-ridden places in the country — in actuality, San Jose ranked 4th on Forbes’ 2010 list of America’s safest cities — but prudence requires adding a lock to each of your entry doors to supplement the locking doorknob. Deadbolts would be the most secure, but installing one requires cutting a hole in the door. A barrel bolt can provide comparable security, and you can install one in a few minutes using a drill and some screws. Barrel bolts also add safety to any interior door.
Install the barrel bolt in a height that’s easily accessible. A normal placement is one or two feet above the knob, but it could be reduced. The nearer it is to the middle of the door, the greater protection it gives. If it’s too close to the top or underside, an intruder can use the door as a lever by pushing on the other end and forcing out the screws holding the barrel catch.
Retract the barrel and place the barrel guide on the inside of the door using its edge flush with the edge of the door. Level the manual using a torpedo level and indicate the locations of the screw holes in the door with a pen.
Drill a 1/8-inch hole to the door on each mark. The depth of the holes should be roughly equal to half the length of the screws you’re likely to drive to them. Pre-drilling the holes will prevent the door from splitting when you drive the screws.
Align the barrel manual with the holes and screw it to the door with a screwdriver.
Close to the door and stretch the barrel past the edge of the door. Mark its position, then scatter it and position the catch onto the marks. Mark one screw hole, drill an 1/8-inch pilot hole on the mark, replace the catch and drive a screw into the pit.
Stretch the barrel and adjust the catch so that the barrel slides smoothly in to it, then mark the additional screw holes. Remove the screw holding the catch and take down the catch so that you can drill pilot holes on the other marks. Replace the catch and screw it in place.