Faulty Yale barrel lock - need advice

[OM2]

We have a Yale barrel lock on the front door.
Occasionally, we'll have problems inserting the key. Maybe once every 2 months.

Yesterday, it was jammed. My son broke his key trying to get in. I tried. No luck. It was jammed. I was sure there might be something stuck inside. I climbed over the neighbours garden wall got in through the back. The lock would not work from the inside. I had to climb out the window to get out.

Sometime later, the wife arrives. I show her the key won't go in and demonstrate. She then takes the key and puts it all the way in and turns and opens the door. ‍‍

WTF. It was like a King Arthur moment.

Someone has told me that the lock needs replacing. If it's getting jammed every now and then, then that shows its going faulty.

The lock was changed 9 years ago.

Any thoughts? I don't want to go changing the lock unnecessarily.

Thanks.

 

[JohnD]

Get on and change it. Buy one with a good number of keys to avoid having possibly inaccurate copies made.

Is it a wooden door?

Show us some photos of the lock, the cylinder and the keys to clarify what you are talking about.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Might they be copy keys which will not go in and wife carries the original?

 

[mattylad]

If it's still stuck and you cannot open the door you may have to drill the lock from the outside.

Removing the broken key may be a problem for you, thin things can be used to get in there and give you purchase to pull it out enough so the wife can open it with her key.

If you manage to open the door, that's when you fit the new lock, don't um and ah about it - get it done.

 

[crank39]

Buy a cheap 1 star barrel for 10 quid and try that and isolate the problem between a faulty barrel and the gearbox but if your wife's key worked fine then I'd be looking at possible wear on yours and sons keys or whether they are copies and wife's is the original yale but 9 years from a barrel that gets used numerous times a day maybe it's time to change......

 

[OM2]

Get on and change it. Buy one with a good number of keys to avoid having possibly inaccurate copies made.

Is it a wooden door?

Show us some photos of the lock, the cylinder and the keys to clarify what you are talking about.

It's on a PVC door.
Keys, 2 were original.
I need to take the thing out to show - and then there won't be really anything to see - it's just a barrel lock - there's no physical damage.
Question: Where would I get a barrel with multiple keys? I need about 8!

Might they be copy keys which will not go in and wife carries the original?

No, the wife used the same key I was struggling with.

Buy a cheap 1 star barrel for 10 quid and try that and isolate the problem between a faulty barrel and the gearbox but if your wife's key worked fine then I'd be looking at possible wear on yours and sons keys or whether they are copies and wife's is the original yale but 9 years from a barrel that gets used numerous times a day maybe it's time to change......

Where can I buy a 1 star for 10 quid? I looked at Screwfix and Toolstation - the cheapest price is £16 I think.
Originally I bought from ebay.
Barrel vs gearbox? I'm confused. I can only replace the whole barrel - otherwise its just an empty slot once the barrel is taken out.

Just to clarify: the key that worked OK was the original. My wife didn't use a different key - she used the same one I had trouble with.
My sons key was a newly made on.

If it's still stuck and you cannot open the door you may have to drill the lock from the outside.

Removing the broken key may be a problem for you, thin things can be used to get in there and give you purchase to pull it out enough so the wife can open it with her key.

If you manage to open the door, that's when you fit the new lock, don't um and ah about it - get it done.

The broken key wasn't stuck inside. It broke and the front part fell on the floor.
Just out of interest, incase I need for future: how easy is it to drill through a barrel? Would a normal drill be OK?

Conclusion from all replies: replace the barrel?

Thanks.

 

[mattylad]

Never needed to drill one, I'd pick/jiggle/bump it if I couldn't open it.

 

[OM2]

Never needed to drill one, I'd pick/jiggle/bump it if I couldn't open it.

I bought a Yale lock as it was supposed to be anti bump! I was panicking at one point, I was sure I'd have to drill. I'm guessing the metal is hard to drill into and you need special drill bits?

 

[mattylad]

Just HSS metal drill bits should be fine.
Most locks seem to be made of brass in that area anyway.

 

[JohnD]

It's on a PVC door.
Keys, 2 were original.
I need to take the thing out to show - and then there won't be really anything to see - it's just a barrel lock - there's no physical damage.
out.

I think you probably mean it is a Eurocylinder. A photo would actually help. A "Yale barrel lock" can mean something different.

Show us the outside and the inside, including the handle or escutcheon. It might be an advantage to fit a more secure one

Show the outside of the door, side on, so we can see how much it projects. You are going to need the measurement, from the central screw, to the outside end (and less importantly, the inside end) of the cylinder, because they are ordered by measurement. The old one might actually be the wrong size. A photo will show.

You can measure it accurately if you take it out, or roughly if in place

They are available with a keyhole on the inside or a knob turn, whichever you want.

 

[JohnD]

If it's still stuck and you cannot open the door you may have to drill the lock from the outside.

....

If you manage to open the door, that's when you fit the new lock, don't um and ah about it - get it done.

Can you open it or can't you? That is important.

 

[JohnD]

There are 429 to choose from on here. https://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/search?query=eurocylinder

Post some photos and measurements and we can narrow it down for you.

I will assume, unless you say otherwise, that you would prefer to make it awkward for a potential housebreaker, and that you need to be able to open the door quickly, from the inside, in an emergency such as a fire.

Alternatively you might just want to fit the cheapest possible.

Does the door gave glass panels in or beside it?

 

[Old Salt]

Change the lock and be done with it. Get additional keys cut as necessary.
It will be cheaper than a locksmith.

 

[JohnD]

This supplier includes "additional keys" that you can order at the same time as buying the cylinder

https://www.locksonline.co.uk/Cylinder-Index/Euro-Profile-Cylinders/Euro-Double-Cylinders.html

There are other suppliers offering similar service.

 

[OM2]

Thanks for the replies guys.
Eurocylinder - yes that's what it is!
I took out earlier and took pics.

See below:

Let me know what you guys think.

@JohnD
>> I will assume, unless you say otherwise, that you would prefer to make it awkward for
>> a potential housebreaker, and that you need to be able to open the door quickly,
>> from the inside, in an emergency such as a fire.
Yes to all.

>> Does the door gave glass panels in or beside it?
Yes, PVC door with glass panels. Why do you ask about that?

Now... where do I buy from?
Yale 3 star in Screwfix and Toolstation and everywhere else... are expensive.
A Yale 3 star seems to be super costly for making copies of keys as well?
Amazon expensive as well.

Doesn't have to be Yale - can be anything else. Just want anti bump, anti drill, anti snap etc.
ebay is cheap. Yeee ha! Thank the lord for ebay.
Or... am I buying a dud with a Yale logo on?
(The pics of the existing Yale lock above was bought on ebay.)

Where should I buy? Making copies of the keys is an important consideration as well now!

ALSO: should I buy one with a twist lock on one end? That looks pretty good to have. Saves using a key to double lock at night?

Thanks.