The lock on your front door is the first deterrent for any break-in attempt. If a burglar can't get through your front door easily, they might just leave and move on to the next home. Make sure you have the best lock you can afford on the front door to keep your family and possessions safe. Here is a comparison of the four most common deadbolts available from your local locksmith.
A Word About Materials and Manufacturing Quality
Have the locksmith show you only deadbolts rated ANSI Grade 1 and made of hardened steel. These locks can't be broken by a blow from a hammer and the steel bolt resists being cut through. Inferior quality locks and those made from a casting process can be easily broken and the steel bolt can be sawed in half.
Single Deadbolt
This is the standard deadbolt found in new home construction. It consists of a cylinder passing through the door with a steel bolt that extends out of the side of the door into the frame. A knob on the inside moves the steel bolt. A key is required on the outside to move the bolt.
Double Deadbolt
This looks like the single deadbolt, but instead of a knob inside to move the bolt, a key is also needed. Check local building codes before using this kind of deadbolt. Some areas prohibit their use because of a fire safety hazard should people not have a key to get the door open to escape.
Externally Mounted Deadbolt
With the previous two deadbolt styles, if the door can be pried away from the frame enough, a burglar can get a saw blade onto the bolt and try to cut through it. The externally mounted deadbolt, also called a "jimmy-proof" lock, prevents that.
The lock mounts onto the inside surface of the door with a cylinder running through the door to the outside for a key. The bolt slips into another piece of the lock that is mounted on the wall next to the door. The bolt on this lock is usually larger and thicker making it even harder to cut through, if the burglar can even get to it.
Vertical Deadbolt
This is yet another approach at preventing the bolt from being accessed. This lock mounts onto a door like the externally mounted deadbolt, but the bolt moves up into the component mounted on the wall, so that the bolt is completely covered. Even if the door could be pried away from the frame, a burglar can't get a saw blade on the bolt.
Talk to a locksmith from a company like Fradon Lock Co Inc for more information or to get a deadbolt installed today!
