A short guide to security locks of all kinds

Are you looking for the best way to secure certain areas of your workplace, or do you want top-quality home security? Here’s a quick look at the types of security locks on the market for just such needs.

There are a host of different key locks. Naturally, some offer better security than others. That’s fine, because you don’t need the same kind of lock on a bedroom door as you do on the main entrance of your home or commercial building. To prevent burglary, deadbolt locks are highly effective.

• The most heavy-duty kind is a double cylinder model, for which a key is required on both sides of the door.
• Make sure a deadbolt fits properly by ensuring the bolt is at least 2.5 centimetres long.
• With a double deadbolt, make sure you always keep a key near the door (or in the lock) when you’re at home so you can get out quickly during an emergency.

• Magnetic or smart-chip key cards are mainly used for shared spaces, such as hotel rooms or business premises.
• They provide fast access and are safer than key locks, especially if access codes need to be changed frequently for security reasons.
• In addition, with this type of security lock, changing the code doesn’t require a toolbox or the memorization of any codes. On the downside, key cards can be demagnetized, and chip cards aren’t entirely safe from hackers.

Long used in commercial buildings, mechanical code locks are increasingly popular with individuals, particularly because they allow for key-free use.

• They also offer the opportunity to have a different code for each user.
• So, for example, if you change housekeeping services, you can simply disable the code the former cleaners used to gain access.
• However, if you tend to be forgetful, changing codes could be a real headache.

Biometric locks are primarily used to protect restricted areas in buildings where the public has access, although they are becoming more and more common for home use.

• Touchless locks use voice recognition or retina scans, while touch-identification locks read a fingerprint from a finger placed on a screen.
• The latter are less secure, because it’s relatively easy to lift fingerprints from objects and reproduce them.

These emergency locks are generally used in public buildings or on emergency exits. They’re equipped with a sidebar that you just push to unlock the door from the inside, even if the door is solidly locked from the outside.

There’s no point in installing a high-performance security lock if the supporting door and doorframe aren’t strong enough to withstand some hits from a determined burglar. You can make sure it’s done right by hiring a trained locksmith to do the job.