Of course, it’s important to
effectively provide dependable security for your home, at a reasonable cost. If
you’re shopping for the right locks for your place of residence, you’ll soon
find that there’s a nearly endless selection of various types of locks. You may
feel like it’s impossible to know what to choose. But you can at least narrow
it down to the fact that, by and large, most locksmith professionals agree that
deadbolts are your best bet.
Deadbolts truly are typically
viewed by most expert
Tyler locksmiths as one of the safest and most secure ways to provide home protection.
The reason they’re called “dead” is because they lack springs to operate the
bolt; that is, a deadbolt is operated manually, with a key or a thumbturn.
Residential locksmith
specialists recommend that you install deadbolts on all your external doors. There
are numerous deadbolts to choose from. The most common are: single-cylinder,
double-cylinder, jimmy-proof, and lockable thumbturn.
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A remedy for this challenge is the double-cylinder deadbolt. It has a key
cylinder on the inside of the door as well as on the outside. This means that
if it’s locked, the double-cylinder always requires a key to open the door from
the inside. It’s ideal if your door has any glass, or if your door has a window
nearby, because it prevents an intruder from breaking the glass and reaching in
to unlock the door. Its downside is that in case of fire, it’s a bad idea. Therefore,
if you install this kind of deadbolt, then make sure you always leave a key on
the inside whenever people are there, so everyone will be able to make a fast
exit safely in an emergency.
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A
jimmy-proof deadbolt is a surface-mount lock, most often found on double
doors and at apartment buildings. A surface-mount lock means that the lock
screws into the inside of the door, rather than with a complex drill pattern,
the way a standard deadbolt does. A jimmy-proof deadbolt is popular because of
the minimal door modifications required. In this unique style of deadbolt lock,
the deadbolt interlocks with the jamb bracket, which prevents it from easily being
pulled apart or from being forced open from the outside.
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The lockable
thumbturn deadbolt is the deadbolt that provides
maximum security and flexibility. It basically combines the features of the
single-cylinder with the double-cylinder deadbolt. It has a thumbturn on the
inside, which works like a regular single-cylinder deadbolt, yet it can be
locked with a key, so that it can’t lock or unlock the door. This means that the
thumbturn can be left in an unlocked position when people are at home, but it
will operate just like a single-cylinder deadbolt. When everyone’s away, especially
if it’s for an extended period of time, the thumbturn can be easily locked, so that
even if a burglar manages to gain access to your door from the inside, the
deadbolt can’t be unlocked.
In addition to these four viable
deadbolt options, there are also five more kinds of deadbolts that expert
locksmiths often recommend: vertical, rim, mortise, keyless, and digital.
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A vertical
deadbolt is bolted to the inside face of the door, but this kind is placed
on top of the door, which makes it impossible for a potential intruder to pry
it open by putting a bar between the door and the frame (which a person can do
in the case of some horizontal deadbolts).
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A rim
deadbolt is also bolted to the inside face of the door, but the good thing
about this type of deadbolt is that it locks automatically behind you each time
you shut the door. That way, you won’t ever forget to lock it. Both the vertical
and the rim deadbolt are easy to install. A minor drawback to both the rim
deadbolt and the vertical deadbolt is that they are a bit bulky, and therefore not
as attractive as traditional deadbolts.
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A mortise
deadbolt lock is a conventional lock that you can install in a mortise or a
recess pocket, cut in the edge of the door, so that it can’t be easily tampered
with. This lock is indeed sturdy; but keep in mind that because you have to
penetrate the door frame to make a hole, it can slightly weaken the structure
of the door itself.
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A keyless
deadbolt is also mounted on the inside of the door, but it has a keypad rather
than a keyhole. Instead of using a key, you put in a secret code. The obvious advantage
of this deadbolt is that you don’t require a key at all, so you won’t ever have
to be concerned about losing your key or having it stolen. Furthermore, in
order to optimize security, you can establish a new code every few months, or
as often as you wish.
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A digital
deadbolt is a lot like a keyless deadbolt, since you also have a keypad instead
of a keyhole. What’s different is that it requires electricity or batteries to operate.
With a digital deadbolt, be sure you periodically monitor the power level. Always
keep the batteries charged, in case of a power outage!
Before you can decide on exactly
the right deadbolt locks for your home, bring all your questions and concerns to
a reputable and experienced local locksmith. If you are located anywhere in Tyler,
Texas, you may want to schedule an appointment with a reliable mobile locksmith
professional on staff at Locksmith Tyler,
where free consultations are available.
