HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT KIND OF LOCKS FOR YOU

Are you shopping for the best locks for your home or business? Once you start, you’ll see that there’s an almost countless selection of sorts of locks ~ such as wall-mounted locks, pin-tumbler locks, deadbolts, bump-proof locks, high-security cylinders, lever-handled locks, padlocks, cam locks, rim locks, interchangeable core cylinder locks, mortise locks, doorknob locks, key-in-knob cylinder locks, combination locks, keycard locks, biometric locks, switch locks, and even more! The most well-known reputable name brands are:

• Ace
• American
• Arrow
• ASSA
• Baldwin
• Ilco
• Falcon
• Kwikset
• Master
• Medeco
• Primus
• Schlage
• Yale

Deadbolts, as any expert locksmith will advise you, are a dependable line of defense when it comes to effectively guarding your place of residence. The reason they’re called “dead” is because they don’t have springs to operate the bolt; that is, a deadbolt is operated by hand ~ with a key or thumbturn.

Professional residential locksmiths usually recommend that you install deadbolts on all exterior doors. There are many different types of deadbolts. The most common are: single-cylinder, double-cylinder, jimmy-proof, and lockable thumbturn.

• The single-cylinder deadbolt is the standard deadbolt lock, with a key cylinder outside, and a thumbturn inside to close or open it. These deadbolt locks are normally found on solid wooden or metal doors. The only drawback to this deadbolt is that if there’s any access to the inside ~ such as through a window in the door, through the peephole, or through a window close to the door ~ then a thief could open the door with the thumbturn.

• A double-cylinder deadbolt adds a bit more security. This deadbolt has a key cylinder both inside and outside the door. That means that if it’s locked, the double-cylinder always requires a key for opening the door from inside. It’s perfect if your door has glass in it, or if your door has a window nearby, because a thief who manages to break the glass and reach in will not be able to unlock the door. Its one minor downside is that you have to remember to keep an extra key available in the house, so whenever folks are home, in case of fire or any other emergency, everyone can quickly and safely get out of the house.

• A jimmy-proof deadbolt is a surface-mount lock, which you often see on double doors and at apartment complexes. A surface-mount lock means that the lock screws inside the door, instead of with a unique drill pattern, the way a basic deadbolt does. A jimmy-proof deadbolt is well-liked, since only minor door modifications are required. In this kind of deadbolt lock, the deadbolt interlocks with the jamb bracket. Thus it’s not prone to being pulled apart, and it’s also hard to force it open from the outside.

• The lockable thumbturn deadbolt combines the features of the single-cylinder and the double-cylinder deadbolt. With a thumbturn inside, it works like a basic single-cylinder deadbolt, yet it can also be locked with a key, so that the thumbturn won’t unlock or lock your door unless you also have the key. The thumbturn can thus be left in an unlocked position while you’re home, but it will still work just like the single-cylinder deadbolt. Then, when you go away, especially if it’s for a long time, the thumbturn can easily be locked. This deadbolt provides superior security and flexibility.

These are all smart choices in deadbolts. There are also other viable deadbolts you ought to consider: mortise, rim, vertical, keyless, and digital.

• A mortise deadbolt is a deadbolt that can’t be easily tampered with. Old-fashioned-looking, this deadbolt is installed in a mortise or recess pocket, cut into the door’s edge. This lock offers you extraordinary resilience; but one disadvantage is that because you need to penetrate the door frame to make a large hole, it may slightly weaken the door’s structure.

• A rim deadbolt is an easy-to-install deadbolt, bolted to the inside face of the door. One plus to this deadbolt lock is that it locks behind you automatically when you close the door, so you won’t ever forget to lock it. Obviously, if you lose your keys a lot, you may not see this feature as an advantage. Also, some view a rim deadbolt as unappealing and clunky.

• A vertical deadbolt lock is bolted to the inside of the door, but on top, making it impossible for a burglar to force it open by placing a bar between the door and the frame. It’s relatively effortless to install this deadbolt. One minor shortcoming to the vertical deadbolt is that it’s a little unwieldy; some folks view it as unattractive.

• A keyless deadbolt lock is mounted on the door’s inside, but it has a keypad rather than a keyhole. You put in your secret code rather than turning a key. Since you don’t use a key, there won’t be a concern over having it stolen or losing it. Another benefit is that you can change the code as often as you want to optimize your security.

• A digital deadbolt is much like a keyless deadbolt, having a keypad, but it also requires electricity or batteries. With this deadbolt, make sure you always keep the batteries charged, or your property will be absolutely vulnerable if there is a power outage. One weakness to such an electronic device is that there’s a small possibility it could be hackable.

This has been an overview of the most popular no-nonsense locks. The fact is, there is a lock to fit every purpose and locale. If you want to make well-informed decisions about the exact right locks for your home or your commercial building, take your questions to a trusty local locksmith company. If you’re in San Bernardino, California, hire a reliable locksmith such as a mobile residential locksmith specialist on staff at Locksmith in San Bernardino, where free consultations are available.

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