There is never a good time for you to realize that your locks don’t work when it comes to your front door or you back door or even your windows.  It’s a terrifying moment that can lead you to call a local locksmith in a panic with a need for them to come to your home right this very second and fix the problem because you need to go to work.  So, why not just take it upon yourself to stop the panic before it starts by taking a look at your locks and checking them before a crisis occurs? As in, make it a task to add to you to-do list and make sure that it gets done.  

The purpose of locks

Firstly, understand what a lock is supposed to do.  As much as we might like to think it is, a lock is not a guarantee that someone won’t get into your home.  The point of a lock is to simply slow them down enough that they’ll either give up, or the security company/police can arrive to grab them.  That being said, making sure that you have the proper quality locks is important. The more expensive (and higher end) the locks are, the more protection they’ll offer in the amount of time or effort that it takes to get in.  This all can work in your favour.

Doors:

One of the often under-utilized tools in protection is the deadbolt.  Most external doors include them and if not, they can easily be purchased from a home improvement store or a locksmith.  Lock installation can sometimes take effort, and calling in a professional will help you get the right tightness and secure parts (not to mention lubrication) that will ultimately offer your home more protection.  Make sure that all of your knob locks and deadbolts are in working order regularly and that they also receive their lubrication when instructed. Not working properly or coming loose? Call a professional to come have a look at it, or replace it if needed.

Windows:

If your windows are the kind that can simply slide open, it’s important to have a secure lock on the inside of them to keep them  from opening. It should be stronger than just a slide lock (which are easy enough to pick open). Not sure what window lock looks like?  Call in a professional. You won’t want to find out the hard way that your windows don’t lock, after all.

Outside access:

Same goes for gates or patio doors.  You should make sure that the locks on your sliding doors or garden doors work and lock securely even if you don’t normally use them.  Making your home secure means that you also need to make the outside access secure. All it takes is one broken or forgotten lock to let in an intruder, after all.

Moving into a new place:

If you’re moving into a new place, you should always change locks.  Even if the original owner left the keys when they moved, there’s no guarantee that they didn’t give out the keys to neighbours or family or even contractors.  This is much the same with an apartment or condo. When you rekey home locks, it helps give you that satisfaction of knowing that the old keys don’t work and that it should slow down an potential intruder enough to deal with it professionally.

Regardless of how you look at it, home security is critical to get right.  All it takes is one loose lock to weaken your home’s safety and all of your possessions and loved ones.  If you are looking to be as proactive as possible, taking a look at all of your locks (including those on windows and gates) is important and should be part of your regular maintenance check.  It will offer you the security that you deserve the comfort of knowing that you can protect yourself against unlawful intrusion as much as possible.

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.