Armory Sponsor
Posted: 4/24/2014 5:30:59 PM EDT
| I'm finishing a remodel and getting ready to move in. So it is time to install new locks and deadbolts. I was looking for suggestions on quality sets. In reality, anybody who wants in will just smash a window before trying to pick a lock. We are VERY rural, as in you can't see the house from the road. We do have neighbors about 200m away, but they are old and I doubt they would notice. What I'm getting at is I don't think I need Tier 1 Ft. Knox protection, but I don't want crap either. |
|
Quoted:
I'm finishing a remodel and getting ready to move in. So it is time to install new locks and deadbolts. I was looking for suggestions on quality sets. In reality, anybody who wants in will just smash a window before trying to pick a lock. We are VERY rural, as in you can't see the house from the road. We do have neighbors about 200m away, but they are old and I doubt they would notice. What I'm getting at is I don't think I need Tier 1 Ft. Knox protection, but I don't want crap either. We did Kwikset locks on our front door along with a door devil jamb guard. The door handle itself has a lock, a turnknob deadbolt for when we are home and a second deadbolt that is keyed on both sides for an added layer when we are away. |
|
Quality does cost more, Medeco, ASSA/Abloy, Mul-T-Lock, Bi-Lock, and Schlage Primus are all GTG. The secret buy quality and if you move take them with you and put a 10 buck lock on when you move. I have some Medeco deadbolts that have been on four different houses. I personally like the captive deadbolt, the thumbturn is removable and then you have a double cylinder lock if you would like.
ETA: A U.L. lock with a fubar jam is silly. Plan on reinforcing the jam, most of the better locks include a high quality strike box and with four long screws that is a good start without getting crazy. |
|
I would stay away from Quikset, especially deadbolts with the SmartKey re-key system (just Google how easy it is to defeat them). If you want good deadbolts and don't want to break the bank, I would go with Schlage B660P deadbolts. They are commercial so make sure you order the correct backset for you door.
ETA: Make sure to use 3" screws that go into the studs on the deadbolt and the hinges too. |
|
I'm a locksmith, and I live in a home in a similar rural situation. I have Schlage commercial "A" series knobs and Schlage double-cylinder commercial-grade deadbolts on standard residential grade steel doors.
Upgrading to high security locks (Medeco, Assa, Multi-Lock) only makes sense if you're going to also upgrade your doors to industrial grade steel with steel frames (or you want more secure control over having unauthorized keys copied). A residential grade door / frame (wood or metal clad) will fail under a forcible entry before a commercial grade Schlage deadbolt will. |
| And the current generation of burglars are more likely to break a window or glass door than to bother forcing a leaf door. So unless you have burglar bars on all windows/doors, or laminated impact glass window units, the use of high security door locks is purely academic. |
|
The reason I went with a high security lock wasn't because I was concerned with kick-ins. It was because I was concerned with lock bumping. Thanks to youtube everyone and their brother knows how to bump a lock...and knows how to make bump keys based off of commonly available keyways.
On my windows I installed security film, the kind that people on this forum suggested since it was a nice DIY option. It was surprisingly easy to install with the help of another person. |
Armory Sponsor