Residential Door Locks


A lot of people don't give much thought to their residential door locks until their house is broken into. In general, burglars are looking for the best opportunity, and homes with weak residential door locks are the ones they can get into and get out of quickly. High quality residential locks make a great start for home security in general. In many cases if a burglar sees high quality residential door locks, including high quality deadbolt locks, he will quickly move on to easier targets.

A skilled, residential locksmith can help you determine which residential door locks are best for your home based on factors like your budget, how often your house is left unattended, and the general crime rate in your neighborhood. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has standards for measuring and comparing security and durability of door locks. It is a good idea to choose residential door locks that have earned an ANSI Grade 1 classification. 

Security strike plates for your residential door locks are important. Many strike plates are only cosmetic and are usually the weakest point in the entire door and lock system. Security strike plates come with long screws to secure them to the wall framing rather than just the door jamb, and they are made from heavy gauge metal. Furthermore, the screws are designed to penetrate different grains of the lumber, making it harder to split a wood door frame or wall framing with blunt impact.

Locksmiths can help you by answering questions about the brands or types of residential door locks that are best for you. Having a trained, certified emergency locksmith on call should be a part of your overall system of home security. Don't wait until you've locked yourself out or have to get locks replaced before contacting a locksmith. Proper installation of residential door locks, control of who has copies of the key, and the use of locks designed for extra security are good steps to take. Knowing that you have a good locksmith ready to help out when you need it is another layer of security and peace of mind when it comes to keeping your house safe.