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Have you been looking for the perfect locks for your home? Once you start, you’ll soon discover that there’s basically an endless list of locks. We all want our home to be safe and sound ~ a sanctuary where we can completely relax with family and friends. When it comes to choosing which locks will most effectively provide dependable security, any locksmith expert will tell you that deadbolts are a reasonably priced, very efficient way to secure your residence. Most locksmith professionals agree that deadbolts are optimal locks for your home.
If you’re seeking additional peace of mind, residential locksmith specialists worth their salt will tell you to install deadbolts on all your outside doors. The reason they’re called “dead” is that they don’t have springs to operate the bolt. That is, a deadbolt is operated by hand, with a thumbturn or key.
Here are four of the most popular deadbolts:
The most well-known deadbolts are: single-cylinder, double-cylinder, lockable thumbturn, and jimmy-proof.
1 The single-cylinder deadbolt is the standard deadbolt lock that we usually think of. Used on a solid wooden or metal door, a key cylinder is installed on the outside, with a thumbturn on the inside to shut and open it. The one disadvantage to a single-cylinder deadbolt is that if there’s any likelihood of access to the inside (through a window close by, or through the peephole), then the door could be opened with the thumbturn by an intruder.
2 A double-cylinder deadbolt is a way to remedy this downside. It has a key cylinder on the inside of the door as well as on the outside. Thus, when the door’s locked, a key is needed to open it from the inside. A double-cylinder deadbolt is terrific if your door has any glass, or if there’s a window near the door, because it stops a thief from breaking the glass and reaching in to unlock it; but the drawback is that for security in case of fire, you must keep a key inside at all times, accessible to anyone who’s home, so that, if an emergency occurs, everyone will be able to exit safely and quickly.
3 A lockable thumbturn deadbolt is a most beneficial deadbolt, one that will give you optimum security and flexibility. It’s an ideal combination of the features of the single-cylinder and the double-cylinder deadbolt. The way it operates is that it has a thumbturn on the inside, which works like a single-cylinder deadbolt; plus, it can also be locked with a regular key, to prevent the door from being unlocked or locked. This means you can leave the thumbturn in the unlocked position while you’re home, but it will still function like a single-cylinder deadbolt. When everyone is out, particularly if you’ll be away for a long time, you can lock the thumbturn. Then, even if a burglar does somehow get access to your door, the deadbolt still cannot be unlocked.
4 The jimmy-proof deadbolt is a surface-mount lock, which is commonly used on double doors, and most often at apartment houses. A surface-mount lock means that you screw the lock into the inside of the door, rather than with an intricate drill pattern, the way a normal deadbolt does. A jimmy-proof deadbolt is preferred by many property owners since it requires very few door modifications. This sort of deadbolt interlocks with the jamb bracket, stopping it from being pulled apart or from being forced open from the outside.
There are many other viable deadbolt locks:
In addition to the four above practical deadbolts, there are also five more top deadbolts, which any trustworthy residential locksmith technician will likely tell you to buy: vertical, mortise, rim, keyless, and digital.
1 A vertical deadbolt is bolted on the top inside face of the door, which keeps a robber from prying it open by putting a bar between the frame and the door (which is something that can be done by an experienced crook on some horizontal deadbolts).
2 A mortise deadbolt lock is a basic lock, which you install in a mortise or recess pocket, cut into the door’s edge. This makes it very hard for a trespasser to tamper with it. This lock is durable and solid. One shortcoming is that, because you have to penetrate the frame of the door to make the hole, it could weaken the structure of the door itself somewhat.
3 A rim deadbolt also bolts to the inside face of the door, but the advantage of this kind of deadbolt is that it automatically locks behind you whenever you shut the door. That way, you won’t ever forget to lock it. Both the rim deadbolt and the vertical deadbolt involve effortless installation procedures. One minor point regarding both the rim deadbolt and the vertical deadbolt is that they’re both a little unwieldy, and not as attractive as the standard deadbolt.
4 A keyless deadbolt is also mounted on the door’s inside, but you use a keypad; there’s no keyhole. Instead of sticking in a key, you’ll enter a passcode. You’ll never again need to worry about misplacing your key, or getting stressed out over your keys getting stolen. Furthermore, for outstanding security, you can change your code as frequently as you want to.
5 The digital deadbolt is similar to a keyless deadbolt, with a keypad rather than a keyhole; but it’s different in that for it to work, a digital deadbolt needs electricity or batteries. If you have a digital deadbolt, you must make it a habit to check periodically on the power level on hand. You’ll be keeping the batteries fully charged at all times so that if a power failure happens, your property will stay secured.
To choose the best deadbolts for your home’s needs, bring all your questions and concerns to a reliable local locksmith you can count on. If you live in Lynn, Massachusetts, it would be a smart idea to hire a mobile residential locksmith professional on staff at Locksmith Lynn, where free consultations are available.
