Deadbolt Locks For Doors
Grade 1 deadbolt locks are the highest level and intended for commercial security. Grade 2 deadbolt locks meet light commercial requirements. The single-cylinder deadbolts have a key on the outside and a thumb turn on the inside. Double-cylinder deadbolts have a key on both sides of the door for heightened protection. For 2-1/4 to 4 inch thick doors or gates - single cylinder deadbolt by Schlage will fit all standard door cutouts. ANSI Grade 1 deadbolt, operated by a key on the outside of the door and by a thumbturn on the inside. Available in 9 different finishes.
Photo by Andrew KlineAre you still relying on the lock that was on the front door when you moved into your house? The lock seems like an old, dear friend, but it may not be.
Nearly 3 million U.S. Homes are broken into every year. Although not all break-ins are preventable, exterior locks and dead bolts are your most important line of defense. Today's locks offer much greater protection.
But picking the right lockset can be very confusing. We've done the initial research on three major types of exterior locks on the market—keyed-entry doorknobs, handle sets and dead bolts—to sort out features and costs. In case all you need is a way to keep the kids out of your room at nap time or a new door handle for the closet, we also tell you how to judge the offerings in privacy and passage locksets. The Key to SecurityThe obvious purpose of any lock is to keep unwanted people out, but the kind of lock you buy depends on where it's going in the house and your budget. Exterior doors. To be truly secure, any exterior door needs a dead bolt.
You have a choice of separates—a deadbolt and a lockset mounted separately—or a handle set that incorporates both features. Prices vary from $25 to over $300, reflecting a wide range of quality and style. Higher-end units typically feature solid, forged-brass components and a Grade 2 or even a Grade 1 (commercial duty) security rating. An antitheft option you should look for on locksets or handle sets is a dead-locking latch bolt; it prevents burglars from jimmying the latch with a credit card.
On dead bolts, look for hardened pins that can withstand sawing. And because a latch or bolt is only as strong as the strike plate it engages, make sure the lock you're considering comes with a heavy-duty plate and 3-in.
A handle set that allows you to open both the dead bolt and latch from inside with a single motion is convenient and could be a lifesaver in an emergency. Another terrific convenience is universal keying, which allows you to carry one house key despite having installed locks on other doors from different makers. As for esthetics, look for dual-torque springs that prevent knobs from sagging and a no-tarnish lifetime finish. Interior doors. Interior door locks only prevent nuisance entry—they won't keep bad guys at bay.
Grade 3 security is sufficient. But you might want a model with a latch kickoff that keeps the door from accidentally locking behind you. Also be sure there's an emergency release (look for a small hole in the center of the handle) that lets you open the door from outside with a paper clip in an emergency. As with exterior locks, look for dual-torque springs to keep knobs from sagging and a no-tarnish lifetime finish. Interior locks cost considerably less than exterior locks.
Most go for $8 to $16, though high-end forged, solid- brass locks can cost 10 times that. Dead Bolts Photo by David HamsleyDead BoltsWhere they go: On exterior doors, typically 6 to 12 in. Above the keyed entry (locking door handle) or handle set (handle and dead bolt combination) for added security. Double-cylinder dead bolts require keys to open the lock from the interior as well as the exterior. This makes it more secure—burglars can't unlock the door by breaking door glazing or a sidelight and reaching in—but it can be very dangerous if there's a fire and you need to make a fast exit in smoky, poor-visibility conditions. Proponents suggest hiding a key nearby, but building codes in many areas require single-cylinder units that have a turnpiece on the inside.
Features to look for:. For most homes, a Grade 2 rating. Grade 1, a commercial rating, offers added security—at added cost. Avoid Grade 3.
And beware of ads touting dead bolts with 'Grade 1 features.' The rating must be for the entire lock.
A forged, solid-brass plug (the part that the key turns) and cylinder (the part that surrounds the plug). Avoid less expensive locks that have softer brass-plated zinc cylinders and plugs.
A six-pin keying system, which is harder to pick than a five-pin system. A heavy-gauge-steel or -brass strike plate.
Secure it with 3-in.-long screws that go through the jamb into the framing. A 1-in. Throw, which means the bolt extends a full 1 in. Into the jamb.
A free-spinning, sawproof, hardened-steel pin at the center of the bolt. If thieves use a saw on the bolt, the steel will resist the blade and the pin will spin, frustrating the cutting action of the saw. A housing that protrudes into the door face rather than one that sits flush with it.
This prevents thieves from sheering the dead bolt off with repeated hammer blows. Large turnpieces on the interior side that offer more leverage for children or anyone else who has difficulty opening dead bolts. Look for Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance.
Conveniences that also add security. Weiser Lock's Powerbolt 3000 dead bolt can be unlocked by remote control. Titan's NightSight model has a motion detector that switches on a light to illuminate the cylinder, making it easier to find. Keyed-Entry and Handle Sets Photo by David HamsleyKeyed-Entry and Handle SetsWhere they go: Keyed-entry locksets, also called cylindrical and exterior-door locksets, are lever or doorknob units installed in exterior doors that are meant to work in tandem with a dead bolt. Handle sets are locksets with doorknobs or lever handles inside and swan's neck-type handles outside. Handle sets always include a dead bolt.
Look for models where the lock and dead bolt are interconnected so you can unlock both with a single motion in case of an emergency exit.Features to look for:. A Grade 2 security rating. A dead-locking latch bolt, or dead latch. This small rod adjacent to the strike that protrudes into the adjacent doorjamb prevents the lock from being jimmied with a credit card.
An emergency-exit feature that allows the inside knob to turn freely to open the door, even when it's locked. A six-pin keying system. It costs more than a five-pin keying system, but is harder to pick. A heavy-duty-steel or -brass strike plate.
Screws securing it should be 3 in. Long and penetrate the framing behind the jamb. Dual-torque springs to keep knobs from sagging or loosening with age. A protective shroud behind the rose (the decorative circular collar mounted flush to the door).
The shroud shields the lock mechanism even if the rose is pried off. Universal keying, which allows a single key to operate locks from different manufacturers. A tarnish-free finish and mechanical warranty (both lifetime).
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A dead bolt, deadbolt or dead lock is a locking mechanism distinct from a spring bolt lock because a deadbolt cannot be moved to the open position except by rotating the key. The more common spring bolt lock uses a spring to hold the bolt in place, allowing retraction by applying force to the bolt itself. A deadbolt can therefore make a door more resistant to entry without the correct key.[citation needed]
A deadbolt is often used to complement a spring-bolt lock on an entry door to a building.
Common types[edit]
A deadlock, if it is cylinder operated, may be either single cylinder or double cylinder. A single cylinder deadlock will accept a key on one side of the lock, but is operated by a twist knob on the other side. Double cylinder locks will accept a key on both sides and therefore do not require (and often do not have) any twist knob. This prevents unwanted unlocking of the door by forced access to the interior twist knob (via a nearby window, for example). Double cylinder locks are sometimes banned from areas because they can be difficult to open from the inside and violate fire safety regulations. Some lock manufacturers also have a 'lockable' knob: a key is always needed on one side (usually external), and a twist knob can be used on the other (internal), unless a button has been pressed, in which case a key is also needed on the internal side.[1][2]
A variant of the standard deadbolt is the vertical deadbolt, invented by Samuel Segal. Vertical deadbolts resist jimmying, in which an intruder inserts a pry bar between the door and the jamb and attempts to pry the bolt out of the door.
Other types of deadbolts include:
- Classroom-function (thumb-turn only unlocks door)
- Exit-only function (no external cylinder)
- Push-button deadbolt (mechanical or electrical)
- Single cylinder with removable thumb-turn
Safety[edit]
The double cylinder design raises a safety issue. In the event of a fire, occupants will be prevented from escaping through double-cylinder locked doors unless the correct key is used. This is often an avoidable cause of death in house fires.[3] The risk can be mitigated by locking the deadlock only when there are no occupants inside the building, or leaving the key near the keyhole. Some fire departments suggest putting the key on a small nail or screw near the door at floor level, since the cleanest air is at floor level and you may be crawling to get to the exit, thus placing the key where it is easiest to find.
Note that single cylinder dead locks (with an unlocked twist mechanism on the inside of the door) do not have this problem, and therefore are most commonly used on fire exits. Some areas have fire safety codes that do not allow a locked exit.[4][5]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^Abloy. 'Lockable Thumbturn H2X Deadbolts'. Retrieved 2011-10-22.
- ^Abloy. 'Lockable Thumbturn H2X Deadbolts'. Retrieved 2011-10-22.
- ^Kennedy, Les (2004-06-08). 'Deadlocked doors seen as fatal in house fire'. The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2010-11-16.
- ^'Hardware requirements for access and egress'(PDF). Canada government. Archived from the original(PDF) on 27 March 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
- ^'Building Codes (p.127)'(PDF). New York City. Retrieved 12 June 2014.