Lockout Tips

It’s an old but true adage:  “They just don’t make them, like they used too.” When referring to locks, that phrase is very true and telling.

That doesn’t mean that the locks available today are of a lesser quality than the ones built years ago. In fact many locks today offer conveniences and benefits that were unavailable before. But many manufacturers have sacrificed quality, in order to meet certain price points. When you buy a home for 200K – 400K, is your best choice to lock it with a $10 cheap lock? Would you be surprised if that $10 cheap lock didn’t hold up against a physical attack by a burglar? Locks are more affordable than ever. Still you need to be cautious about areas a manufacturer has cut back on in order to keep the cost low.

As locksmiths, 24 HR Lockouts open many locked doors every day. The easiest ones to open are the ones someone bought from the hardware store. The tolerances and mechanics are loose making it easy to manipulate them. Most of these locks are opened in less than a minute without leaving a scratch.

Most people will often ask for some kind of upgrade, after seeing how simple these locks are to open. The same goes for the hardware store deadbolts. Instead of being a solid piece of brass with a large bolt and “throw”, their components are made from plastic and Die-Cast. Materials like this are not enough to stop someone from kicking in a door.

So where is the middle ground? The locks sold at locksmith shops can be expensive, because most locksmiths won’t sell and warranty the cheap hardware store locks. And the cheap ones at the hardware store won’t hold up and provide enough physical protection.

What do you do? In one scenario, a house had three exterior doors. They were equipped with high quality deadbolts from a locksmith shop. They then had lower quality knobs beneath them, in order to cut down on cost and matched them to the same key as the deadbolts. Doing it this way keeps the main security coming from the deadbolt, not the doorknob. By installing a really good quality deadbolt and making sure to lock it each day, the door is secure. The doorknob is only used as a secondary locking device and the main protection against physical attacks, falls on the deadbolt. If you are looking to save money without sacrificing security, you may want to consider this method.

24 HR Lockouts wants you to remain safe in your home this holiday season. If you have any questions or want further information, contact us today. We are here to help!