The Deadbolt Buyer’s Guide

Door Hardware - BalwinReady for a new deadbolt? Here’s what to look out for before you take the leap.

Quality Comes First

Industry standards from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) ensure the quality and security of locks on the market today. Make sure your lock makes the grade with an ANSI Grade 1 rating, the highest grade of residential security locks. These deadbolts have been tested to open and close 250,000 times, have a bolt that projects 1 inch into the door frame, and can withstand 10 hammer blows without giving way.

Resistance to Burglary Attacks

If having a lock that keeps bad guys out is high on your priority list, make sure the deadbolts you are considering pass the UL 437 test. This UL Standard is one of the toughest lock picking tests in the world and to pass the lock must resist a variety of attacks including drilling, picking, prying and more. If you have a UL 437 rated lock, burglars will have a hard time defeating your lock.

Strikes Matter Too

Most big-box store locks come with somewhat flimsy strikes. Upgrading your strike-plate to a high security strike, and installing it correctly can add valuable security to your home. Be sure to ask your locksmith to install the high security strike using 3” screws, that way the strike is secured to the door frame, not just a weak doorjamb. This makes it much more difficult for an intruder to kick in the door. P.S. If you are really worried about door kick-ins, check out the OnGUARD security brace, this excellent product is sold online!

Keep Your Keys to Yourself

The best lock in the world can’t keep out someone who has a copy of your key. To equip your house with keys that cannot be duplicated without your permission, call and ask for a high security lock installation. Otherwise, your traditional key can be copied by anyone including your ex, that housekeeper you fired, or even a valet driver.

Where to Go From Here – “A” Locksmith of Course!

Choosing a lock that fits your security needs and matches up with the holes that have already been drilled in your door can be tricky to say the least! “A” Locksmith’s trained technicians are here to help. Take a photo of your current handleset, stop by our showroom (or e-mail it to us) and we will determine which lock you have. We can then show you which locksets meet your door’s needs, your security needs, and your style preferences all while minimizing the amount of drilling and retrofitting to your door.