Whether you own your house or renting it out, installing a good, sturdy lock on your door is essential if you want to keep yourself and your tenants safe from unwanted visitors. You have many options to choose from, and it can be overwhelming to browse all these different kinds when you’re unsure what you need and what’s safest to use.
Depending on your budget, you can invest in a lock that’s nearly impossible to pick; however, it’s not always a necessary investment depending on the kind of door you have. So what do you do if you have no idea what a good lock looks like? Read on to find out.
How Much Force Can It Withstand?
When it comes to keeping your apartment safe, force is an essential factor to consider. One of the two common ways of breaking and entering is smashing through the door. Weak locks, and even the strong ones, attached to your door with short screws will come off when battered or drilled through. What you want here is to buy a lock that can resist a striking force of around 800 lbs. Along with your deadbolt (the main door lock), the additional lock should be enough to hold back anyone who attempts to kick your door down.
Can It Be Tampered With?
Another common method of breaking in is tampering with the lock. The regular lock-and-key combo is usually vulnerable because nothing stops anyone on the outside from picking the keyhole. A good suggestion is to get a lock with security pins. These are designed to resist any unwanted attempts to overcome the mechanism. While some might have to struggle to find a good lock, if you live in Bradford, professional locksmiths, according to No Shut Sure Lock Bradford, are usually available in all the surrounding areas. Taking a risk with an unreliable lock is a high-stakes game, so asking a professional and a local to the area for their opinion is always a good decision.
How Often Do You Need to Re-key?
If you are an Airbnb host or if you have a high tenant turnover rate, changing the locks every time new tenants check-in will be too costly. In this case, consider investing in a smart lock where you can reset the password as much as you like. Although, keep in mind that with a smart lock, you replace the danger of lock picking with that of software hacking.
Take your time to factor in the pros and cons of each lock available based on these criteria and weigh your options against your budget. Although, remember that safety matters more than any additional costs. Therefore, don’t make the mistake of relying too much on your lock. Regardless of the lock you settle on, keep in mind that you also need a strong deadbolt. In fact, a strong deadbolt is critical; if your lock is small, then a deadbolt is your only line of defense, so make sure you include it in your calculations no matter which route you choose.
