How To Choose The Best Locks For Your Home

Researching and choosing the best locks for your home can be daunting if you don't know what you're looking for. Learning more about the different grades and different locking mechanisms can making choosing the best locks easier.

Understanding Different Lock Grades

Most locks will have "grades" on them ranging from one to three. When choosing the best lock for your home, you will want to understand what these mean. These grades were developed by the Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association (BHMA) to help rate locks. Grade one would be the highest rating in terms of function and material integrity, grade three being the lowest.

Understanding Different Locking Mechanisms

Next, it will be important to figure out what type of locking mechanism you will want to install in your home. You will find a lot of options such as:

Deadbolt Locks. Deadbolt locks are one of the most widely known and popular locking mechanisms. This lock works by bolting the door to the door frame. You would need to manually insert a key and move the deadbolt in order to open the door. Deadbolts are extremely strong locks, but they do have a major flaw.

Without much effort, anyone can locate a number of videos and guides online about how to pry open a deadbolt lock. This means having a deadbolt makes your home extremely vulnerable to a break-in. Basically, a burglar can pry the door apart from the strike plate to disengage the throw of the lock with a method called, "lock bumping."

If you still want to install a deadbolt lock, you can take precautions against this by also purchasing a door jamb reinforcement kit. These kits are typically made of steel and installed with screws. This increases the strength of your home's door system.

Slip Bolt Locks. This lock is very cheap, and easy to install. However, slip bolt locks offer the least amount of security for your home. This locking mechanism functions by locking the doorknob of the door, then preventing the release of the spring loaded latch that goes into the doorframe.

This is the perfect example of "you get what you pay for." These locks are very cheap and are prone to easy break-ins. Most burglars will use a hammer and simply smash the doorknob and have instant access to your home.

Smart Locks. Smart locks are a newer, and advanced locking technology. These locking systems use Bluetooth, and even your smartphone to control the lock. This lock works with a deadbolt locking system to secure your home, and can be accessed by something as simple as touching the lock. Some allow access from sensing your smartphone. Others utilize a key fob for access to the home. These are new, high tech locks and can be very expensive.

It is important to keep in mind that no lock is guaranteed to work 100 percent of the time. However, knowing more about how they function can help you decide what is the best option for your home. Contact a locksmith for more information.