Protecting your home, your loved one, and your possessions means that understanding locks is critical. It helps you make the right choice in your lock preference and helps you to focus on the priorities that matter most to you in your lock traits. Since education is key when you are looking to install locks, we’ve put together some of the biggest must-knows about deadbolt locks and secure door knob locks so that you can understand which one offers what for protection and, finally, which kind you prefer for your home’s front door with a new lock.
Door knob secure lock:
A door knob secure lock is the kind that you see a lot in washrooms or bedrooms. You twist the knob to lock it from turning. Another version is the tiny latch on the handle that you twist and it, too, keeps the door handle from moving. This offers privacy and keeps things out. The person on the inside simply needs to twist the latch back, or spin the knob and the door opens.
- The pros: With this kind of lock, it’s easy to enable and disable when you’re inside. It’s also easy to disable from the outside with a solid jiggle or a fork or other household item. Great for when toddlers lock themselves in bathrooms or teens lock parents out of their bedrooms without permission. They’re easy and affordable and great for internal doors.
- The cons: With this kind of lock there isn’t a whole lot of security. Since they’re so easy to pick, it doesn’t take a lot to get them open with some force. So, they aren’t recommended for external doors for this reason.
Deadbolt lock:
A deadbolt lock is a sliding latch on top or bottom of the door knob and is separate from the knob itself (you’ll see both in one spot sometimes for added protection). They’re are strong steel and slide in and out of place with a flick of the latch on the inside. They can be latched open from the outside with a key to give you extra protection.
- The pros: These are solid and designed to keep people out (or in, but that’s another story). As such, they’re used for external doors where you want to make sure that a robber can’t simply jiggle the handle and they’re in your home. They offer extra protection when used with a twist knob or other kind of lock.
- The cons: If your teen has one of these on a door and locks a parent out, or someone else locks you out of the house and slides the deadbolt on (assuming you don’t have your keys) they cannot be easily opened. You would need a master key or a locksmith to help you slide open the deadbolt and safely re-enter your house.
When you need to change locks, understand the difference between these two popular kinds of locks is important to making the right choice for you and your home’s safety.
