After putting it off way to long, I really need to install new locks on the doors at my house. The current ones not only have possibly who-knows how many keys out there from before we owned the house, but are also disintegrating. Removing the front door deadbolt, which is very hard to turn, resulted in a pile of metal shavings. The insides of the lock are just about gone.
So, what kind of locks should I get. I want something better than the $20 Home Low Waremart special, but I also really don’t need $250 super security locks on the doors when there are breakable windows right there. I’m looking for something which is going to be reasonably kick and bump resistant. I know kick proofing is more a factor of the installation, but bump resistance is a feature of the lock itself.
I think my logic is correct: All of the current dead bolts are double cylinder (key required on both sides), but my thinking is that I’m more likely to die in a fire when I can’t get out, than by a burglar breaking the glass on the door and using the thumb turn on a single cylinder lock. If the burglar is willing to break the glass, he can just come through the window and bypass the lock all together. What I’d like to resist against is the burglar who shows up with a bump tool or strong leg, and expects to gain entry in 15 seconds. If the lock doesn’t bump after a few tries, or the door doesn’t break after a few kicks, he’ll move along. If somebody really wants in, he’s going to get in.
Anyway, I’m looking for concrete recommendations. I’ve found lots of discussions of whether Schlage is good, or used to be good but is now junk; or Medeco is the way to go, or is just wasting your money; or that the only way to go is some obscure Italian brand that isn’t actually available in the US. I’ll be needing three dead bolts, two knobs, and a handleset. $50-100 per dead bolt is the price I’m aiming for. My preference is to buy everything pre-keyed identically, and then install it myself.
To sum up, what do people who know something about it recommend for a good quality grade 2 deadbolt with a reasonable selection of handlesets to go with them?
Yea, buy something above the cheapest. There are differences in longevity and you seem to be a heavy user. Really though, it’s all about security. The lock does not mean much if the frame and door won’t support a heavy push. Metal doors and frames are the best of course. With wood, you can install hardened 4" screws into heavy backing plates. You can also install metal plates on wood doors. Thugs usually just push and pry. This is often successful. A professional can generally get into your “keyed” lock with a master key or a “bump” key. It’s a lot quicker and cleaner. So none of the above fully protects you. This is OK if you are not inside and carry insurance. If you are inside, then you want a brace for the door that gives you the extra time to get ready for Plan S & W.
You might think about getting a keypad lock. I have the Schlage Link locks, and I highly recommend them. It’s nice knowing I will never get locked out of the house.
I really wanted one like that. A keypad, temporary codes, network access, programable keys, and all kinds of fun features. It just looked like the price started scaling up to numbers I’m not interested in. I’m thinking I’ll spend a few hundred with the traditional keyed route today, and maybe in 5 or 10 years when home locks that use palm implanted RFIDs are available, I’ll upgrade.
I started to get keypad locks the other day, but because of the way I drilled the door long ago, they won’t fit. I’ll have to get a new door. I don’t mind, but I just wasn’t in the mood that week.
That said, Home Depot and Lowes have them starting about a hundred bucks. More than lunch at Taco Bell, but not a mortgage payment either…
I re-figured out the problem I had when shopping last year which made me give up. Emtek and Baldwin have nice web pages that show lots of different styles of handles, and make it pretty to decide how I want things to look, but they don’t mention anything at all about the locks themselves. Compare that to places like Scorpion or Medeco that talk a lot about security, but skimp on the design aspect. (Please, somebody point me to the right place and prove me wrong.)
It looks like many of the handsets can take different lock cylinders, and so are as secure as the deadbolt/lock they’re paired with, but I’m not finding anything that explicitly says this, or that says “use this with our cheap, better, or best lock.”
Go to a hardware store and buy Kwik-Set. My house was build in 1970. I struggled for years keeping the old Harlock locks working, but finally had to give up. Part of the problem is the unavailability of parts.
Not too long ago, I gave up and went to the Ace Hardware store that 20 years ago stocked Kwik-Set locks and parts for them, but not Harlock. I bought 3 keyed alike single cylinder dead bolts. I think I may have already replaced some of the passage locks with Kwik-Set for lack of parts for the Harlocks. I installed them. I don’t expect to do anything but maybe clean and lube them for at least 10 years. If I eventually do need to replace a part, I expect the store to still stock parts for them.
With a new puppy to housebreak every year since 1991, our door hardware takes a beating.
Beware of builder supply hardware. 35 years ago, Wicks still sold Harlock locks, but no repair parts.
I used to install Medeco locks for the US Department of State. Believe me, they’re tough as nails. The mounting screws are fronted by ball bearings, making it nearly impossible to drill them out from the outside. The locks are pinned left, right AND center, making picking the lock a near impossibility. The deadbolt throw is something like 2" or so (fuzzy memory here), which means that it extends into the door framing, which means that the guy would have to have one hell of a kick to dislodge a framing stud. Any time we had to defeat a Medeco, we basically had to break out the Sawzall. A determined burglar will get in, no matter what, but if he’s got to make a lot of noise, it’s likely he’ll go away.
I went with Schlage when I redid my house.
Now one thing I did was key all the house and garage locks the same, and I had the two gate locks keyed so the house key is a master and will open anything, but the gate key will only open the gates.
I only have to carry one key this way.
ETA I bought online the outfit I used did all the rekeying. Much easier than the local big box.
I just installed a Kwikset keypad deadbolt lock last week. I like this lock because it will automatically lock itself after 30 seconds if that setting is engaged. I had to drill all new holes, but it wasn’t bad. I’ve drilled holes for locks before, but this time I used a jig kit from the hardware store that included the hole saw bits and a jig that fits over the door. The jig really simplified it.
The last lock I would buy is a Kwik-set. Too easy to open without a key, all you need is a pair of channies.
My son the locksmith likes Baldwin. And they are easy to repin to the same key, although it takes a pinning set. but hardware stores carry seets with more thanone lock keyed to the same key. And if you cannot get the right combination of locks just take the cylinder to a locksmith shop and thekey you eant it keyed to and they should do it for a few bucks.
Medeco locks are high security, but expensive to buy or rekey. And no lock is stronger than the entrance’s weakest point. Glass, and many a door will give if kicked in the center.