How to Find the Right Locks for your Needs

The single-cylinder deadbolt is the standard deadbolt we all imagine, with the key cylinder on the outside. On the inside, a thumbturn is used to close and open it. It’s usually for a solid door, of wood or metal. The one drawback to a single-cylinder deadbolt lock is, if there’s potential access to the inside - through a window that’s on the door, or even through the peephole (something an intruder can easily do) - then the door can be opened using the thumbturn.

One way to correct this shortcoming is the double-cylinder deadbolt, which gives you a key cylinder both outside and inside the door. If the door’s locked, the double-cylinder needs a key to open it from the inside. This kind of deadbolt is ideal if the door has any glass in it, or if there’s a window near the door, because it stops a thief from shattering the glass and reaching in to unlock the door. Its weakness is that it isn’t safe if there’s a fire. Therefore, if you choose a double-cylinder deadbolt, always leave a key handy. That way, in case there’s a fire when anyone is at home, everybody will be able to leave quickly.

The jimmy-proof deadbolt is a surface-mount lock, typically used at apartment complexes, primarily on double doors. People who prefer this deadbolt like it because it requires the least door modifications. The way this deadbolt works is that it interlocks with the jamb bracket, and that prevents it from being pulled apart or forced from the outside by a robber. A surface-mount lock means that the lock screws into the inside of the door, instead of having the drill pattern of a traditional deadbolt.

A lockable thumbturn deadbolt is like a perfect combination of the single-cylinder and the double-cylinder deadbolt, providing excellent flexibility and security. It has a thumbturn on the inside, which works the way a regular single-cylinder deadbolt does, but it can also be locked with a key, so that it cannot unlock or lock the door. Thus the thumbturn can be left in the unlocked position while you are home, but it will work just like a normal single-cylinder deadbolt. When you go out, the thumbturn can be locked, so that even if a burglar gains access to the door’s inside, the deadbolt itself cannot be unlocked.

You’ll often see lever handle locks on interior doors at commercial buildings. If you have to provide accessibility for the disabled, a lever lock will work best, since they’re easier to open than knobs are. The push-down handle doesn’t need to be grasped and turned, the way a knob does. Its one minor problem is that you might catch your clothes on the lever.

Of course, knob locks are the typical locks used on your exterior doors, and your major source of security at your home. Sometimes, they’re also installed in addition to deadbolts so as to give you more security. A knob lock alone actually isn’t totally secure, since the lock cylinder is inside the knob itself, rather than inside your door. One disadvantage is that a criminal could break off a knob lock from the door using a heavy object, like a hammer. It can be forced open with pliers, or by bypassing the lock cylinder using a wrench behind the knob.

Cam locks are for cupboards, mailboxes, and file cabinets. They’re available in varying lengths, with different sorts of tailpieces (“cams”), which interface with another lock mechanism.

Mortise-cylinder locks are threaded, screwing into mortise hardware that’s mounted on the inside of the door. The lock stays in place with a set screw, and the lock mechanism is activated by a cam. Mortise cylinders come in various lengths, with several choices for the cams, depending upon the hardware you desire.

The rim latch lock has a rim cylinder lock on one side, and a surface-mount latch lock on the other. A rim latch is popular at apartment houses, since it automatically locks if the door closes behind you.

As you’d guess, a wall-mounted lock is mounted in the wall. One familiar example is a firefighter's box-style lock, often routine at bigger businesses, allowing emergency access to the building’s keys. A wall-mounted lock can really be any safe, which stores important items. A wall-mounted lock includes an alarm sensor, permitting networking into the property’s security system, meaning that any unauthorized access will be detected immediately.

A rim cylinder lock is an effective way to augment your security in addition to deadbolts. You’ll notice this type of lock on an entry glass door, at some apartment buildings, and on commercial doors. They’re frequently found in rim latch locks, mounted on a door’s inside. A rim cylinder lock has a long metal piece extending from the lock’s back, running through the door into a locking mechanism that’s on the opposite side.

There are so many locks - each made to fulfill a particular purpose. To decide on the lock that’s perfect for your requirements, bring your questions to a local reputable locksmith company. If you’re in Bolingbrook, Illinois, consider scheduling an appointment with a mobile staff locksmith professional at the aptly named Fast & Secure Locksmith.

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