Locks Change Kitchener
Kitchener Locksmith 647-951-3510
Locks Change Kitchener
Purchasing a home is normally the single largest purchase that most people make in their lifetime. Protecting your home and your investment should
be a priority to every homeowner. Increased violence and crime rates also make it imperative to be proactive in defending your home against threats. One simple, inexpensive method of shielding your home and loved ones is to install quality locks on your home’s doors. But what types of locks are used for home security? Deadbolts, keyless digital keypad locks, and fingerprint locks are a few of the different types of locks that are more commonly used to secure a home.
Nearly every home has lock-in-knob locks on their doors.
These are small locks located within the door knob and they are very easily compromised. While this type of lock is perfect for inner door privacy, a knob lock is not sufficient to provide home security. The next step up for locks is the dead bolt. Deadbolts are made of a strong metal rod that enters the door frame about 1″ deep. They have a twist knob on the interior of the door that quickly and easily turns to release the lock; however, a key must be used to unlock the door from the inside. Because of the thick rod and the strike pad on the door frame, it is impossible to open this type of lock with a screw driver and/or other similar object. These locks can be added to most doors with little problem. There is also a double cylinder deadbolt lock that is best used for doors with glass in them.
Double cylinder locks require a key on both the interior and exterior of the door to release the lock.
This added level of security is needed because a window could be broken and then the single cylinder dead bolt can be unlocked by reaching an arm through the broken window. This type of lock should only be used if needed as they can make emergency exits more time consuming and difficult. If you do not want two different keys to unlock a single door, a knob and deadbolt combo can be purchased that uses one key to unlock both a lock-in-knob and deadbolt lock. Deadbolts are widely accepted as the standard home security locking system. These locks are relatively inexpensive compared to the other types of locks used for home security.
Digital keypad locks are the next popular type of lock used to secure a home.
These are locks that do not use a key to operate, but rather use a keypad and a set code to release the locking mechanism. These locks are not as widely used because they can be up to four times more expensive than dead bolts. Keypad locks use a thick rod just like a deadbolt, making them equally secure. However, a code, which can be changed, must be entered in the correct sequence to unlock the door. If the code is entered incorrectly, the door will not lock. Businesses like this type of lock because they can give access to employees but quickly change the code, with little to no additional cost, should a person leave employment.
A growing trend among businesses and some larger homes is the use of biometric locks, or fingerprint locks. These locks have a similar construction as the deadbolt lock but are comparable to the keypad locks because they do not use a key to open the lock. A fingerprint must be matched to the lock’s database in order to open. These locks sometimes also include a keypad code in addition to the print. These are considerably more expensive and therefore have not been used often in the past for home security. Although the costs have been going down which has made them more affordable for even a modest sized home.
In summary, there are many types of locks used for home security that range from a simple deadbolt to an elaborate biometric lock. Each lock offers increased protection in an ever growing volatile environment. You must decide which lock is best for your particular need and budget.
