Are you unsure whether your home or business is fitted with the correct type of locks? One way to do this is to employ the services of a trusted locksmith in Newcastle upon Tyne. Having the correct locks fitted on the doors of your property comes with many benefits. The most obvious one is that having the correct locks will improve the level of protection afforded to your property. Another major benefit is that most insurance companies offer reduced premiums for customers with the correct locks fitted to their doors and windows. Premiums can also be further reduced by the fitting of premium quality locking devices.
There are normally 5 models of lock you would find fitted on the doors of commercial and residential properties; it may be that these are already fitted in your property without you realising it. The locks in question and their main uses are:
Three and Five Lever Mortice Locks
Three and Five Lever mortice locks are standard deadlocks usually found on the wooden front or rear access doors of a property. The number of levers in a mortice lock indicates at how many points the door locks into the frame. As you would think the more levers a mortice lock has the more secure it is likely to be. Along with external wooden doors, mortice locks can occasionally be found on internal doors. Three and Five Lever mortice locks will never be found on UPVC or Composite doors.
Key Operated Multi-Point Locking System
This type of locking mechanism is found mainly on UPVC or Composite doors, however, it can also be fitted to wooden or aluminium doors. Multi-point locking systems are inserted into the body of the door, bolting it into the frame. This allows the door to lock at multiple points with the single turn of a key. The fact that it consists of three locking points makes the door much more difficult to force. Another benefit of this type of lock is that a single key can be used to access different entrance points. The fact that they are single-cylinder locks also makes this type of system much easier to change or upgrade. If you decide to install this design of lock we advise you use a quality assured product as non-quality assured versions do not offer the same level of security.
Rim Automatic Deadlatch
You will find this type of lock mounted on the interior of your door frame. It will have a cylinder on the exterior of your door linked to the keyhole for key insertion. This gives you the option of locking the door securely from both inside and out. Generally called Yale locks deadlatches are simple to use and will automatically lock when a door is closed. Traditionally found on external doors situated at the front and back of the property these locks offer a medium level of security. If you wish to increase the level of security offered you can use it in conjunction with a night latch. As with all the locks described here, we would advise you to use a BS3621 assured lock to guarantee quality.
Euro Cylinder Lock
Euro cylinders are usually found on UPVC and Composite doors alongside a multi-point locking system. They can also be attached to mortice deadlocks and sash locks found on aluminium and timber door frames. Although they are currently more prevalent on external doors they can in some cases be found on internal doors. The main benefits associated with Euro cylinder locks are easy operation, the ability to be master keyed and the fact that they are easy to replace or upgrade.
Doorknob Locks
Used almost exclusively on internal doors, doorknob locks are regularly seen on bedroom and bathroom doors. They are very occasionally found in conjunction with a deadbolt on the external doors of a property. With a locking mechanism located within the actual doorknob. This type of lock has knobs on both sides of the door and can consist of either a single or double cylinder dependent on whether you need to be able to lock the door from one or both sides.
Hopefully, the information above will give you an insight into what type of locks should be fitted to the doors in your home or business. One thing to consider though is that you should always try and fit the locks that offer your property the best protection. Because there are so many different locks we understand there can be confusion around which lock is best.
One way to avoid confusion is to have your home checked out by a reputable locksmith in Newcastle upon Tyne. Our team at Tyne Tees Locks have many years of experience in fitting locks to the interior and exterior of properties. They can advise home and business owners on which type of locks will afford them the best protection. While many people think that upgrading their locks is an unnecessary expense it can save you both money and inconvenience in the long run.
