How to Choose a Door Lock
Choosing a door lock for your home is an important decision--one that can effectively keep your home safe from thieves. Whether you opt for a dead bolt or a lock with a reinforcing plate, you can be sure your home is protected against burglars. When deciding which door lock is best for your home, be sure to take into consideration crime statistics in your neighborhood, which may indicate that additional security is needed. Burglars are using many methods of entry, not just kicking in doors, so you want to be sure your lock offers the best security features to keep you and your family safe. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Compare security and durability based on standards set forth by The American National Standards Institute (ANSI). (See "Resources" below.)
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Choose between latch bolts, deadbolts or a combination of the two. Locks with dead bolts are a common preference for front door security. Choose a deadbolt lock with at least a one-inch throw (the length that the deadbolt extends out of the door edge). Longer throws are also available.
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Use a lock with a control key. Minimize who can copy the key to your lock by choosing a lock that can only be copied by certain locksmiths. Designed by manufacturers to avert burglars from copying keys at local hardware or retail stores to gain entry to a home, locks with a control key are an ideal way to prevent unauthorized keys from being duplicated and redistributed. Manufacturers maintain records of each key duplication that is made.
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Decide if you require a lock with additional reinforcement. Choose a lock with a high security strike plate; many of which are available with a heavy gauge metal reinforcing plate. Three-inch screws are used to secure the strike to the wall framing as well as the doorframe jamb.
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Decide if you require an anti-drill feature, which prevents thieves from drilling out the lock, or hardened cased steel, which provides a more resilient case and guards against blows from a sharp blunt object such as a hammer.
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Tips & Warnings
Always consider the level of crime in your neighborhood before choosing a door lock for your home.
Never leave your key under your front doormat or under a flowerpot.
