A front door is the most vital entry point into your and your family’s home. With a properly installed and maintained door, you can be assured that your home is secured from intruders. However, a stale old standard lock will no longer do for what could be deadly encounters with criminal elements bent on entering your property with nefarious intentions. It is why installing any of the many types of front door locks have come to the forefront of Home Security in recent years.
6 Types of Front Door Locks for your Home Security
Mortise Lock
Commonly used for supporting double entry doors, a mortise lock is one of the toughest and most secure front door locks. They equip it with a locking mechanism to integrate with the door’s architecture, forming a positive attachment. It has its advantages, as the lock won’t pop out when kicked violently by criminals out to harm. The mortise lock requires 2 inches of clearance on either side of the door for you to install it.
Deadbolt
A deadbolt is a door lock operated by a key and bolt mechanism. The bolt is located within the door frame, and the lock’s key fits into a hole near the handle. The key can be angled in one of 4 directions, allowing you to use it as needed to open your front door. While this type of lock is certainly secure, it does require additional cleaning and maintenance.
Sash Lock
They commonly use Sash locks for older homes and those still under construction. This type of front door lock has its unique advantage in that you can install it on both sides of the door frame. In some cases, this is how pass-through style doors are secured. This lock style should only be used for decorative purposes, though, as it isn’t equipped with an antitheft function and can’t be operated securely by a key.
Passage
A passage front door lock is a type of pin tumbler mechanism that you can open in the instance of faulty keys. The safety comprises two pieces and is placed inside the frame when assembled. It can only be locked or unlocked by hand. This type of lock requires no additional tools and comes with its built-in keyhole.
Sleeve/Locked Tilting Door Lock
A locked tilting door lock is an electronic lock that the owner can preset to require a code before opening. This lock can come with different features, including a lockout function that prevents the lock from being opened without the correct code. The tilting mechanism allows this front door lock to be opened in both directions and requires the homeowner to press down the handle on one side and then tilt it towards the other when opening their door.
Double Cylinder
This type of lock uses two separate cylinders, inside and outside of your door’s frame. The cylinder that’s placed inside can only be opened when a key is inserted outside the cylinder to turn it. You can open the double cylinder locks without a key by turning the external cylinder with a key or using an emergency release lever.
Choosing the right front door lock is of utmost importance if you want to get the best security value out of your investment. In short, choosing quality is better than choosing cost when looking at types of front door locks. It would help if you chose a professional residential locksmith with years of experience in front door lock installations.
