Millions of homes are burglarized every year, and many of these burglaries could have been prevented if the homeowners had taken some basic security precautions.
According to the FBI, a burglary occurs every 13 seconds in the United States. That’s why it’s so important to take steps to protect your home and family from intruders.
One of the best ways to protect your home is to install a top-quality security lock on your door. At Regal Locksmiths, we offer a wide range of high-security locks that can keep your home safe from burglars.
What Is a Security Lock?
A security lock is designed to slow down a would-be intruder. Residential security locks prevent the opening or closing of exterior doors without locking them. Most security locks are key-operated for convenience, but some security models can be opened with an electronic access control device.
Security Locks Protect Your Family
The security lock you choose should fit your family’s lifestyle and sense of security. Some security locks come with anti-pick features that set pins into place to prevent lock picking, while others have thick metal inner workings that discourage burglars from breaking in through the deadbolt hole in the door jamb.
Once you choose the security lock you need, make sure all family members know how it works; this will help each member feel safe when they’re at home.
Security Locks Keep Your Family Safe
Here are 10 security lock options you can consider to keep your family safe:
1. Deadbolt Security Locks
These security locks have a key-operated thumb turn on the interior side and a solid metal bolt or bar on the exterior side.
The bolt or bar will run between two vertical door jambs, so a burglar must break through both to enter your home. If you choose this security lock, it’s best to get one that is mortised into the door jamb for increased security.
Deadbolts should be installed in pairs on exterior doors where security is paramount. It’s also important that they’re placed high enough to prevent easily accessible tampering from passersby.
2. Chain Door Locks
This security lock combines the security of a deadbolt with the convenience of an exterior chain. For extra security, it’s best to replace exterior door knobs with levers or handles that are harder for intruders to open.
This security lock is great if you have an attached garage next to your home since it gives you more security but still leaves enough space for someone outside the house to enter and exit your home.
However, this security lock isn’t recommended for houses with sliding glass doors or windows because burglars can simply break them instead of dealing with the security chain.
If you choose this security lock, make sure it’s anchored securely into place; otherwise, someone may be able to take it off its hinges without unlocking it.
3. Keyless Deadbolt Security Locks
If you want security and convenience, this security lock is an excellent choice. It includes a keypad for entry as well as a key-operated thumb turn on the inside to lock your door from the inside; however, if you forget the code or lose your keys, you can always use one of your secondary security keys outside of the security lock to enter your home safely.
4. Door Jamb Bolts and Braces
A door jamb bolts security lock bolts into place between two vertical wood posts on either side of your exterior door frame – usually with three bolts that secure into the header and threshold – to hold both jambs together securely. A security brace secures the security lock to the floor.
This security lock is very strong and discourages intruders from breaking into your home by kicking your door over its threshold or over the security lock itself.
If you choose this security lock, make sure it’s installed with long screws that go completely through both jambs; otherwise, burglars can easily unscrew the bolts using tools like screwdrivers or wrenches.
5. Door Chains
This security lock is similar to a security chain but has no horizontal bars; instead, the link chains are attached high on either side of your exterior door frame and close securely together on their interior side without any loose links or holes for added security.
A door chain security locks prevent you from opening the door up to the security lock while still allowing you to see who’s outside and talk to them. If you choose a security chain, make sure it’s installed high enough so that someone can’t simply reach over the security lock and manipulate your doorknob or lever from inside or out.
6. Locking Lever Handles
Locking lever handles combine everyday convenience with a basic level of door security. These locksets typically feature a lever-style handle with an internal thumb turn, making them easy to operate from inside the room.
While they can offer added privacy and light protection, locking lever handles are not usually the strongest choice for exterior doors. Because they lack the same forced-entry resistance as a properly installed deadbolt, they are better suited for bedrooms, offices, storage rooms, and other interior areas where convenience matters more than maximum security.
7. Double-Barreled Deadbolt Security Locks
Double-barreled deadbolt locks are designed to provide stronger door reinforcement by using two locking points instead of one. When both deadbolts are engaged, the solid steel locking bars help hold the door firmly in place and reduce the chance of prying or forced entry.
These locks can offer a high level of protection, but proper installation is essential. Homeowners who want this type of upgraded security should consider working with high-level locksmith professionals in Silver Spring to ensure the lock is fitted, aligned, and reinforced correctly.
8. Mortise Lock Styles
Mortise locks are commonly found on exterior doors, including front doors, garage entry doors, and many commercial property entrances. Unlike standard cylindrical locks, a mortise lock is installed into a pocket cut into the edge of the door, creating a more integrated and durable locking system.
These locks typically include a latch, deadbolt, and internal lock body that work together for smoother operation and improved strength. Many mortise lock styles also use reinforced strike plates or security boxes to help the locking mechanism hold more securely within the door frame.
9. Deadbolt Sash Bolts
Deadbolt sash bolts add another layer of protection by securing the door at additional points beyond the standard lockset. Instead of relying only on a latch or a single deadbolt, these bolts can help reinforce the door along the side, top, or bottom of the frame.
When installed correctly, sash bolts make it more difficult for an intruder to force the door open from one direction. They are especially useful for doors that need added stability, such as side entrances, utility doors, basement doors, and older residential doors with weaker frames.
10. Door Hinges and Lockset Hardware Designed for Security
A strong lock is only as reliable as the hardware supporting it. Security-focused hinges, reinforced strike plates, long screws, anti-lift pins, and heavy-duty locksets all play an important role in preventing forced entry.
For exterior doors, upgraded hardware helps strengthen weak points around the frame and hinge side of the door. This is especially important because burglars often target more than just the lock itself. Reinforcing both the locking side and hinge side can make the entire door assembly more resistant to impact, prying, and tampering.
Did You Know that Security Locks to Keep Your Home Safe Are Available in Many Styles?
For security, this security lock includes two deadbolts with solid steel locking bars that interlock into place when they’re both flipped up to secure the door securely in place without any room for prying by burglars. These security locks are difficult to install but provide plenty of security if installed properly.
This security lock is found on most exterior doors including front doors and garage doors; many commercial properties also use them on interior doors too.
There are several different types of mortise locks but all work similarly – a cylindrical latch is pushed and pulled up to open and down to lock the security lock.
However, security for this security lock comes from the security bar that latches into place at the bottom of the door jamb or security box for additional security.
Worried about the security of your home?
Check out our top 10 list of the best security locks to keep your home safe. We’ve compiled this list based on our years of experience in the locksmith industry, and we’re confident that you won’t find a better selection of locks anywhere else.
Installing a new security lock is one of the best ways to improve the security of your home. Not only will it make it more difficult for intruders to break into your home, but it will also give you peace of mind knowing that your family and possessions are safe and sound.
