How To Replace a Euro Cylinder in a uPVC Door

A euro cylinder is a simple pin based barrel system that has been used over the years in most if not all upvc doors. They are easy to use and rarely breakdown but these days they can be a vulnerability risk. It's worth changing your euro cylinders to locks with anti-snap and anti-bump protection. So here is how to replace a euro cylinder in a upvc door.

Open the door and locate the screw on the edge of the door, which is positioned at the lower level of the key barrel on the metal strap. These are M5 machined screws and they look similar to other screw heads which may be close by. You can judge which one it is by following the line of the screw around the door as the thread should line up with the bottom side of the euro cylinder barrel.

Using a phillips screwdriver, undo the screw completely. If the screw won't turn try some 3 in 1 type oil and leave it for an hour so and if it still won't budge and the head is damaged you will need to chisel into the head of the screw into the 'unscrew' direction to shock it loose. This does happen a lot particularly when you consider the euro cylinder may have been inside the door many years. If all else fails you may need the help of a local double glazing repairs service.

Put the key in the door barrel from the inside. Slacken the handle screws. Move the key slightly to the left and slightly to the right pulling the key towards you at the same time until you feel it release. This will become more obvious as you turn the key as the euro cylinder will suddenly lunge towards you. Slackening the upvc door handles will help as there can be an alignment issue from one side of the door to the other. If the euro cylinder is particularly awkward to get out just remember it is just alignment that is causing the restriction and nothing more.

Once the key is aligned at the correct angle you can slide the barrel out of the door. This then allows you to measure the barrel more easily than the other method where the euro cylinder is still in the door. Find more about how to measure a euro cylinder door lock barrel and watch the video of how to uninstall a euro cylinder.

Installation of the new barrel is simply the reverse procedure of the above. As a footnote and before replacing your euro cylinder be sure to understand more about the latest security compromises which could affect your selection of replacement euro cylinders. These two guides will help you:

1. What is lock snapping?
2. What is Lock bumping?

Of course where you purchase replacement euro cylinders is your choice but these security cylinders are available on this website:

• 3 star anti-snap euro locks.
• 1 star anti bump euro locks with snap resistance.