If you want to play it safe, it pays to listen to a locksmith when you are securing your home. Make this a priority so that you do not overlook home safety, especially if you are involved with everyday tasks and pressures. Whether you are taking care of an infant or taking children to school, you can easily get distracted and lose sight of your security needs.
Are You Making it Too Easy for Your Home to Get Burgled?
When burglars are successful, they normally do not need to use much force. That is because they are opportunists. They look for opportunities that provide them with easy access to the premises. Ease of entry can be provided through an unlocked door, unsecured window, or a spare key placed beneath a doormat or inside a potted plant.
A Mortice Lock
When you consult with a locksmith, you will find that a number of lock types can be used on doors for security. One of the most common types of locks is the mortice lock. This type of lock requires the use of a key in order to open and close it. A home insurer may request that the lock comply with the British Standard BS3621. This type of lock is made for external use. Therefore, it features a difficult-to-break construction.
Nightlatch-Type Locks
Nightlatches are secondary types of locks and come in two forms: the standard variety and the deadlocking kind. A standard nightlatch automatically locks a door unless the snib is employed. The snib is used to hold back the latch. Deadlocking nightlatches automatically lock a door and require a key to open the door from the outside or the interior. The deadlocking latches are much more secure. However, as secondary latches, they should never be the sole mechanism used to secure a locked door.
Locks for uPVC Doors
If you require the services of a 24-hour locksmith in Northampton, he or she may change your lock to a multi-point locking system. These types of locks are usually installed on uPVC-type doors. This kind of lock features at least three locking points that lock at the same time when a key is employed. Multi-point locks are often used on the outside of patio and garage doors. They use camrollers, pins, or hook bolts in their operation.
Cylinder locks are found on many doors. However, you should check with your insurer to see if this type of lock is approved. That is because many styles of the lock are susceptible to a method called lock snapping. The easy-to-install locks are used inside and outside an entryway. They are generally installed on doors that are made of composite or uPVC materials.
Security Bolts for Doors
Security bolts that are opened by keys are typically used on external doors, including double door designs and French-styled doors. An insurance policy may make it a requirement to fit this type of security bolt to the top and bottom of a door. Locksmiths fit or surface-mount these types of locks to doors. However, mortice bolts are better choices as they are safer than surface-mounted bolts. If you use a mortice bolt, the door cannot be readily opened when the key is removed.