Tips For Locking Your Home in the 21st-century
Locks play a huge part of the overall strategy for protecting your home. But locks don’t just protect your home they also protect your love ones and your possessions. There are many factors to consider when choosing locks for any home. We will explore some of the changes that have taken place and innovations available to you in home security locking systems.
Times Have Changed in Locking Systems
It wasn’t too long ago that the thought of locking your home was never even considered. Homeowners used to simply leave homes completely unlocked whenever they left. But oh how times have changed and the locks from the past 60 years have gotten really good. Door locks accompanied by deadbolts became a popular combination through the 1970s. And the deadbolt became standard on most homes. Today the deadbolts are even better and there are even more secure technologies we can use to decrease the risk of someone breaking into our homes.
Shopping for Home Locks
If you have recently been in the store shopping for locks you’ll know the sheer amount of variety is intimidating. To keep from getting overwhelms while shopping at the hardware store here are some simple things keep in mind. 1. Key Control.You want to have keys which are protected against unauthorized duplication. Keys are protected against unauthorized duplication by utility patents. Look for that feature on the box. 2. Physical Strength. The better locks come with strike plates and include extra long three inch screws for added protection. They’re all also doorjamb reinforcement kits available to retrofit your existing doorjamb and give it more safety. Reinforcing the doorjamb and having a lock with strike plates greatly increases its effectiveness. 3. Durability. Your lock must be durable so you don’t have to replace it every few years. The best locks have a lifespan of 11 years. They can withstand 2 blows @ 150 ft-lbf and 2 locks a day.
Don’t Forget Different Door Types
Not all doors in your home are equal. You may have the front door with glass or a front door without glass. If your front door has glass the criminal will just break the glass center the home by unlocking the door from the inside. If you have glass then a double cylinder deadbolt or special deadbolt that has a removable thumb turn can offer protection against someone reaching through broken glass to unlock the door. Is the door leading from your garage to your home dead bolted? Garage doors can be easily open through pirated radio signals so don’t forget to place a high level block on your garage door to prevent intrusion. Many burglars bypass the front door and go straight to a patio or garden door. These sliding doors must be secured with a good lock or some kind of device that prevents you from knocking the door off its track. If you have an older cylinder lock on sliding doors they won’t offer protection against drilling or key duplication. You can buy newer locks which will protect against duplication or drilling on sliding doors so please don’t neglect the sliding doors.
Technology Can Make You Safer
Automatic door locks are very good solution. They usually have the key option on the handle and then a keypad for a double layer of security which acts as the deadbolt. The key code can be changed an unlimited number of times. So after the babysitter leaves you can re-secure your door the new code. Many of these new automatic keys can also be integrated with home security systems. You can do lots of things with the computer or smart phone just keep your home safe. Companies like Vivint allow for complete home automation. Locking and unlocking the door are just the beginning. Turning on and off lights, watching security cameras and even monitoring home energy use can all be rolled into one bundle to save you money and keep your home more secure. Times have definitely changed and there is a good chance that your existing home has outdated locks. If you’re considering upgrading your locks consider upgrading to new technology which makes your home much more safe. There is no 100% protection from home burglary. But doing all the little things can add up to offering you this much protection as you can get. Linking home security to a smart phone, and even that little sign in the front yard, can protect your home and deter thieves to someone else’s house.
Author bio: Rick Delgado loves writing about both internet and personal security and the advancements provided by new technology that improve our living standards.