How to Choose an Effective Lock for Your Front Door

The humble lock and key are your first line of defense against intruders; yet it’s remarkable how many people take the lock on their front door for granted. The simple truth is some locks are better at securing your home than others, just ask any brisbane locksmiths. With that said, here’s how to choose an effective lock for your front door.

ANSI Grading Standards

The American National Standards Institute and the Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association have established a set of standards by which deadbolt door locks can be graded and classified. These are designated ANSI/BHMA Grades 1 through 3 and stack up as follows:

• Grade 1: Considered the most secure of all, Grade 1 locks employ a one-inch latch bolt and can withstand 10 strikes of 150 ft-lbs of force. Tested to endure one million opening and closing cycles, these are primarily employed in industrial situations.
• Grade 2: Typically found in residential applications, Grade 1 deadbolts are fitted with a 5/8-inch latch bolt and are tested to perform 800,000 opening and closing cycles. They are designed to withstand five strikes of 120 ft-lbs of pressure.
• Grade 3: These are generally used as a secondary measure in combination with a doorknob lock and/or a Grade 2 deadbolt. These are also tested to carry out 800,000 opening and closing cycles, but are only rated to ward off two strikes of 90 ft-lbs of pressure.

Deadbolt Types

In addition to its resilience, you must consider the configuration of the deadbolt.

A single-cylinder deadbolt requires a key on the outside, but uses a simple turn unit on the inside. This saves you the trouble of finding your keys when you need to grant someone admittance. However, if the lock is located next to a glass panel, a burglar need only break the glass, reach through and unlock the deadbolt.

A double cylinder deadbolt requires a key on both sides. However, if you’re securing a public area, this type of lock could be something of a problem in an emergency situation requiring a hasty exit.

The Door Makes a Huge Difference

You can have the strongest lock ever created, but if you mount it in a hollow door you might as well leave it unlocked. Solid wood doors are good and doors with solid-wood cores work well too. You can also go for metal, but get one with interior reinforcement and a lock block to prevent it from being pried open. Reinforced steel doors are the absolute best bet, but you’ll have to maintain them to ward off rust. An added plus; strong door/lock combinations will help you find a lower homeowners insurance quote online.

 

Doorjambs Are Important Too

The efficacy of any deadbolt, as well as the ability of any door to provide defense, are heavily predicated upon the nature of the doorjamb with which they interact. If you’re running a Grade 1 deadbolt with a steel door in an unreinforced wood doorjamb, the entire setup will be rendered moot with one swift kick.

A deep box strike (the steel pocket housing the bolt of your deadbolt when it’s locked), secured with at least three-inch screws burrowed deeply into the wall studs, instead of just the doorjamb is a good start. You should then reinforce the doorjamb with galvanized steel to withstand the slings and arrows of misfortune heaped upon it by the unscrupulous who would deign to take what you have worked so hard to earn.

Seriously though, there’s more to understanding how to choose an effective lock for your front door than just picking the biggest lock you can find. You have to reinforce the entire apparatus to properly secure your home.