How do you install safety chain???

[Jacque Durst]

My 2 and 4 year old grandchildren recently moved into a mobile home on my property. I love having them here but they sometimes show up at my house at 7 am while their parents are asleep! We're trying to figure out how to keep them at home. We're working on the discipline part but in the meantime we're concerned about their safety.... Simple solution would be a chain lock, but because the door is metal with styrene(?) inside we don't think that a screw will hold in the door. Any help would be appreciated! (Please don't suggest the doorknob covers --- only my son-in-law can get the door open with them on!!!!)

Thanks,
Jacque

[Lewis C]

The screw should hold fine in that type of door. To keep kids in. However I would not trust it to keep out an intruder. Best of Luck!

[David Oxhandler]

Find a local MH repair and service type and ask him to install a deadbolt on the door. Instead of putting it in the traditional location, just above the door knob, ask him to install it close to the top of the door... high enough that the kids cant reach it. If you or somone in your family knows how to install a deadbolt you can find all the parts you will need at MH PARTS STORE - OnLine

[Pendragon]

All of these are bad ideas. In no way do you want to lock the door to all occupants from the inside. If there is a fire, you've taken away the primary means of escape, how will the kids get out if the parents can't?

Put an alarm on the door that goes off when the door is opened. This will wake up the parents who can then punish the children for leaving the house without permission. The children will soon learn that they can't 'sneak out'.

[David Oxhandler]

Pendragon - Im talking about the standard dead bolt used in manufactured home doors. They are approved for use in by fire codes in all juristictions across the country.. They are keyed only form the outside and have a thumb tumbler inside. they look like this
and are for sale at The MH Parts Store

[Lewis C]

ALL IDEAS ARE BAD UNLESS PENDRAGON COMES UP WITH THEM!

[Pendragon]

The type of hardware used doesn't matter if it cannot be reached.
If the children are old enough to open the door and walk away on their own, they are old enough to open the door in case of an emergency. Placing a deadbolt 6' up on the door frame takes away that option and may even be against code. Would you want to be the person responsible when the fire chief says 'we found two children by the door, they were unable to escape because they couldn't reach the lock placed 6' up on the door".
For certain the door isn't designed to have a deadbolt placed there anyway.

And as the original poster has already suggested, she doesn't want something that only one member of the family is able to open....

"Please don't suggest the doorknob covers --- only my son-in-law can get the door open with them on!!"

[Jane]

I'm confused, is this a discipline problem or door locking problem????

[Rita]

Are these two kids extremely quiet, or do their parents sleep like logs? Yikes, either way!

[Good neighbor]

Just wrap the safety chain around their ankle, secure it with a lock, and do the same with the other end to the bed frame. Then you don't have to worry about drilling up your doors.