Having a safe and secure home is vital to a good night’s sleep, whether at home or on holiday. By using the right locks, you can minimize the dangers of your home being broken into. However, the internet is full of different locks, so we have put together this guide to make choosing the right lock for your home an easy and simple process.
Step 1. Choose Your Lock Grade
Lock grades are simple to understand. The lowest lock grade you can have is grade 3. It is secure, but many homes will benefit from being on grade 2. Grade 2 locks are stronger, sturdier, and harder to bypass. Grade 1 locks are the strongest locks, keeping businesses secure.
If you are looking at a lock for your home, you will only need a grade 3 or 2.
Why not grade 1?
Besides the point that you probably don’t need a grade 1, you need to be aware of the dangers of turning your home into Fort Knox. Yes, a grade 1 will make your home harder to get into, but it can also advertise that you have something within your home worth that much protection appealing to the more sophisticated criminal.
Step 2. Smart or Traditional
Once you’ve decided on the most appropriate lock grade for your home, you will want to start looking at your lock and key options.
Smart Locks
A smart lock can remove the option of using a traditional key. Instead, the locking mechanism will require codes, cards, or a signal from your phone or other electronic devices. This prevents the lock from being bumped or picked and allows you to integrate your front door security into CCTV footage, alarm systems, and other home security benefits. However, they are vulnerable to hacking or electronic issues, like a dead battery, so they are not foolproof.
A smart lock is the lock you want if you want to be able to unlock your door via the phone, enjoy using up-to-date technology like the Alexa or Siri, and have other smart features in your home.
Traditional Locks
The regular lock and key to which we are accustomed are still used today because it works. Traditional locks protect the home time and time again. But they are vulnerable to picking, bumping, and drilling methods by burglars with experience.
A traditional lock is a way to go if you prefer to put your faith in methods that repeatedly work with an excellent track record for keeping things secure.
Step 3. Security Features
After deciding which lock type to go with, you will want to keep your eyes out for locks with the following features.
For Smart Locks:
- Integration with other smart features.
- Ease of use.
- Battery Life.
- Realtime alerts.
- Hijack alarms.
For Traditional Locks:
- Anti-bumping
- Pick resistant
- Drilling Resistant
Remember. No Lock, traditional or smart, is 100% pickproof.
Step 4. Check your Insurance Papers
Before you settle on the lock of your dreams, it is important to double-check your insurance paperwork. Some home insurances require that your lock meets a certain standard. Check the lock of your choice and make sure that it meets or exceeds the needs of your home insurance provider.
Step 5. Fitting the Locksmith
Now, you can fit a lock yourself. However, there are many great benefits to hiring a locksmith to do the job for you.
- A professional locksmith will offer additional security advice when installing your locks.
- Quality locksmiths will ensure that they fit the locks correctly so they cannot be easily removed or damaged.
- A locksmith will ensure that any new locks meet your insurance requirements so, in the event of a problem, you will have no issues claiming on your insurance.
- Having a good locksmith on hand will put your mind at ease if you ever need the help of a locksmith in an emergency.
Expert South Beach Locksmiths
Here in South Beach, you can turn to the South Beach Locksmiths for your home security needs. Our team is ready to assist you in installing, replacing, rekeying, or repairing your locks. We set the bar for quality locksmithing services in Florida. Please use our contact page to get a quote and more information on how we can help secure your home.
