Your home is meant to be a safe haven for you and your family. Locks play an important role in securing your home against any possible break-ins. A reliable locksmith can help secure your home by suggesting and installing the locks that work best for your needs.
Break-In Statistics
The latest FBI statistics regarding break-ins are alarming:
- In 2013, 1.9 million burglaries were witnessed in the U.S.
- These burglaries resulted in $4.5 billion in property loss.
- 59% of burglaries were the result of forced entry.
- Residential burglaries accounted for 74% of all burglaries.
- The majority of burglaries occurred during the daytime.
In such a scenario, it is very important to secure your home with the appropriate locks in combination with security alarms and automatic lights or other security equipment.
Types of Locks and Response to Lock-Picking
1. Knob Locks
- Used on front door, bedroom door or garage door.
- Have knobs on both sides
- One side has a lock; other has a keyhole to unlock the door.
- Locking system is inside the knob rather than the door.
- Can be easily broken with a hammer or wrench.
2. Lever-Handle Locks
- Are handled locks used on the interior doors.
- Mostly don’t need keys.
- Locking involves pushing or twisting a button on the inside face.
- Works just like knob locks.
- Can be easily broken by applying force.
3. Deadbolt Locks
- Most commonly used front door locks.
- Highly recommended by locksmiths.
- Considered to be the most secure front door locks.
- Use a metal bolt that slides into the door jam.
- Bolt is controlled by a latch within the door and a keyhole on the outside.
- Deadbolts are the most difficult locks to break. They offer a high degree of resistance to lock picking and also combat all kinds of physical assaults even drilling.
- Types of Deadbolts
- Single Deadbolts
■ Have a keyhole on the outside of the door and an attached thumb turn on the inside. They are used on most front doors. - Double Deadbolt Locks
■ Have a key cylinder on both sides of the door and no thumb turn. They require a key to open, which could be risky in emergencies. - Jimmy Proof Deadbolts
■ Surface mount locks largely used on double doors. The deadbolt interlocks with the jamb bracket which makes it almost impossible to pull apart or remove from the outside. - Captive Deadbolts
■ These are actually double deadbolts that have a key that looks like a thumb turn hidden on the inside. They require an external key to remove the thumb turn.
- Single Deadbolts
4. Keyless Entry Pads
- Electronically operated deadbolts that use a numbered keypad in place of a key.
- They require a code to slide the deadbolt open.
- Keyless entry pads provide superb security as only you and your family can open them by using the personal code.
Should I Change Locks When Moving Into a New Home?
Of course, as you have no idea who else might have access to your home before you moved in. Call your trusted locksmith and change the locks as soon as possible.
A1 Locksmith of the Palm Beaches Inc. provides all kinds of locksmith services. Please feel free to call us on 561 964-6114 for more information.
