If a burglar can't easily get past the lock on your front door, they will likely give up and go to another house. They want to get in quickly without being seen and with a minimum of noise. A lock that forces them to smash it or saw through it to get in is too much trouble. Here are the different deadbolt designs for your home that are sure to frustrate any home burglar.
Start with Quality Materials
Any lock replacement you choose should be ANSI Grade 1 certified. Your locksmith can show you these top-of-the-line deadbolts. These locks are made with hardened steel which resists being cut, sawed, or shattered with a hammer.
Types of Deadbolts
Single deadbolt - This is the typical deadbolt you see in a home. The lock is mounted inside of the door with the steel bolt extending out through the side into the door frame. The bolt slides through an opening in a rectangular plate attached to the door frame and prevents the door from opening. A knob on the inside of the house moves the bolt in and out of the frame. A key is required outside of the house to turn the lock and move the bolt.
Double deadbolt - This is identical to the single deadbolt except that it requires a key to be used on both sides of the lock to move the bolt. Some building codes prohibit the use of these locks because they cab prevent people from easily unlocking and opening the door in the case of a fire.
External-mounted deadbolt - This lock mounts on the inside surface of the door. A small hole is drilled through the door for the key-activated cylinder. A metal box is mounted on the wall next to the door into which the bolt moves. A key is used on the outside and a knob is used on the inside to move the bolt. The bolt on this lock is often rectangular and larger than the bolt on the single deadbolt. This is also called a jimmy-proof lock because the door frame can't be pried away enough to get a hacksaw onto the bolt.
Vertical deadbolt - This design also uses a component that mounts on the inside surface of the door and one that mounts on the wall. The piece on the door slips into groves in the piece on the wall. The bolt moves vertically up into the channels in the piece on the wall. This design completely hides the bolt so it can't be tampered with.
For further assistance, contact local professionals, such as those from Fox Chase Lock & Key.
Share22 December 2015
Letting your tween stay home alone for the first time may be an exciting experience for them, but it likely makes you a little worried. To give yourself some peace of mind and to help protect your tween while home alone, it’s a good idea to create a safety kit and store it in a safe place that can be accessed from outside of the house, like in a locked box in the garage, that can be used in case of emergencies. The kit should include first-aid items, emergency phone numbers, and even a prepaid cell phone. You should also have your locksmith change all of the locks for a fresh start and make two copies of the new keys for your tween – one to keep with them at all times, and one to hide outside in case the first is lost.
