my daughters lost the only key she had to her back door..the door is a upvc door with the lift up handle that engages latches when lifted.. my question is... if i drilled straight through the lock with about a 10mm drill would this allow me to open it?
If I were you I wouldn't immediately wade in with a drill. I think your best option would be to get either a locksmith or your local upvc door suppliers to do the job for you. My daughter had a similar experience a couple of months ago and managed to get the job done within a couple of hours with no damage.
The best option would be to remove the handles then get a large adjustable spanner and tighten the jaws on the lock.....with a swift movement jar the spanner to the left or the right and the lock will snap..... pull out the bits and then use a screwdriver to move the bar inside the hole ( at the top ) this will unlock the door....it literally takes about a 60 seconds ...............if you don't have an adjustable spanner use a block of wood and a hammer.........once this is done re-fit the handles and measure the length of the lock as there are dozens of sizes......measure each way from the screw on the edge of the door that was level with the lock.
No.....it would not affect the latches as they are part of the handle system......all the lock does is prevent the handles from moving.........its the action of the handles that moves the latches, not the lock
Most UPVC doors are easily opened without a key. Everyone thinks with their multi point locking systems they are really secure... Wrong... most Euro locks are fairly simple to drill out or open otherwise.
When I drill them out I always use an 8mm drill, dont use a 12mm or you may damage the lever plate (more expense).
Dont drill straight through the keyway or your drill bit will snare and snap.
Have a look at one I drilled earlier. http://i39.photobucke...in/drilledouteuro.jpg