The quality of the front door of the apartment directly depends on the quality of the door lock, so the choice of the device should be approached as competently and responsibly as possible. On the modern construction market, there are many options, different in the mechanism of locking, installation, and other nuances. How to choose the door lock to the apartment has always been reliably protected from intruders? A small guide will help to understand the features of each type of locking devices.
Door Lock Classification
To choose a good lock, you need to know exactly what criteria it must meet. Based on the current characteristics, all locking devices are classified:
- by type of installation;
- on the mechanism of constipation;
- by a degree of reliability.
What setup to prefer?
Locks on the front door can be installed in several ways. If you wish you can choose a mortise, invoice or hinged design – it all depends on the type of door and personal preferences.
- The simplest are padlocks. In order for him to cope with the task, additional installation of hinges on the door and the box itself is required – the lock handle will be inserted into them. The locking mechanism is usually driven by a key, but there are also automatic models. As a rule, such locks are not installed on the doors of city apartments due to the not too aesthetic and rather bulky appearance. They can be used for installation on the summer cottage, in the garage, shed or wicket.
- Overhead locks are also very easy to install – they are attached to the inside of the door and are activated by a latch. And in order to be able to open such a lock from the outside, a small hole is drilled in the door leaf at the level of the keyhole through which the key can be inserted. If desired, the design is easy to dismantle, repair or replace with a new one – the door will not suffer from this. However, the reliability of such mechanisms leaves much to be desired, so the padlock is used in apartments only as additional protection.
- Mortise design – perhaps the most suitable option for an apartment. The mechanism is mounted inside the door leaf, does not spoil its appearance and does not cause additional difficulties during operation. Unfortunately, such devices are not always easy to repair, so when the locking mechanism fails, you will most likely have to resort to the help of a master. However, such a slight drawback in no way reduces the popularity of mortise locks among apartment owners.
One of the types of mortise locks is supplementary design. Too bulky and powerful mortise devices can weaken the strength of the door leaf, which cannot be said about supplementary mechanisms. They are not installed in the canvas itself, but in a special steel pocket, so the strength and reliability of the door do not suffer. In addition, such designs are much easier to maintain – they are easy to repair or replace with new ones.
How to choose a constipation mechanism?
Choosing a door lock, special attention should be paid to the locking mechanism – the degree of protection of the apartment from breaking will depend on it. Today, 5 main types of locks are popular. Consider in more detail each of them.
Cylinder
The principle of operation of such a lock is based on the interaction of several small cylinders, which, under the influence of a key, line up in a certain sequence, unlocking and locking the door. The cylinder lock is simple and reliable in operation, and even if it fails, the problem is easily solved: to restore, you will not need to change the entire structure – just change the core, and the lock will again perform its functions.
This option is most common, but does not have a high degree of protection: although it is not so easy to open the cylinder lock with the help of a master key, if you wish, you can easily disable it with a few blows of a hammer on the larva – in this case the device will simply fly out into the room. To protect the apartment from such an outcome, additional armored plates or balls can be installed on the cylinder lock – the first ones protect against knocking out the structure, and the second ones prevent its drilling. Therefore, choosing the main lock for the door, it is better to stay on the protected structures – they are not much more expensive than the classic cylinder locks, but much safer.
Suvaldny
Locks with levers – one of the best options for modern apartments. It is extremely difficult to pick up the master key to such a device since the lock is unlocked only if all the plates have taken the desired position. And if a small amount of suvald in unpretentious designs does not guarantee 100% security, then complex locks with 6 or more plates are considered to be quite reliable. The level lock and physical methods of influence are not terrible: it is extremely difficult to knock out or drill out the larva, and if you equip the machine with additional armor plates, this method of the opening becomes almost impossible. On the other hand, if you forget or lose your keys, you will most likely have to completely change the lock, since opening it from the outside is not an easy task, even for experienced craftsmen.
The key to the level lock looks like a long rod with two compact plates at the end. On these plates are located notches, which “place” the levers in the desired position. Installing the latch from the inside, in this case, is impossible – the lock will have to be locked and unlocked with a key regardless of which side of the entrance door you are on. This is perhaps the only inconvenience that pays off with the reliability and relative availability of the leveling items.
Bolt
Bolt locks are the cheapest but at the same time simple and unreliable devices with the lowest possible level of protection. The flat key with grooves that fit the lock bolts can be easily copied even from the image, and the mechanism itself, with the proper skill of the attacker, is opened by the master key in just a few minutes. Therefore, bolt mechanisms are better used as additional – as the main locking element for an apartment, they are undesirable.
Electronic
Electronic locks for the front door – not a cheap pleasure, but if the budget allows, you should appreciate the absolute advantages of modern devices. Firstly, such devices are not very common, and therefore most of the “burglar” simply do not know how to handle them. Secondly, you do not have to carry around a bulky and heavy key chain – to unlock the door with an electronic lock, it is enough to know the code or have a key card (depending on the type of device). Thirdly, they can be fully controlled using a smartphone or computer, which will allow you to be aware of every manipulation that is done with your entrance door. However, if the electronic mechanism breaks down, a repair will require significant investments and the involvement of craftsmen, since it is quite difficult to cope with the breakdown yourself.
Combined
The most reliable option for installation in an apartment is locks that combine several unlocking mechanisms, for example, two-cylinder, lever-cylinder or two-spoil. Complementing each other, the two mechanisms ensure maximum safety and reliably protect the apartment from being hacked.
A combination of two different mechanisms (in this case, lever and cylinder) has a higher degree of protection, supplemented by protective armored covers.
Door Lock Security Class
Depending on the degree of protection from hacking, all locks are divided into several classes:
- Class 1 – the simplest and cheapest devices, most needed for visual protection. If desired, even an inexperienced cracker will reveal such a mechanism in 5-10 minutes without much effort and special devices. Therefore, you should not choose class 1 locks for an apartment – in this case, the savings may entail much greater damage.
- Grade 2 – more powerful and strong locks. Such devices will stop the novice thieves, but they will not prevent the skilled bastards from entering the apartment in 10-15 minutes. They should be installed as additional protection, but not the main locks – this is clearly not enough for the front door.
- Grade 3 is the best option for standard apartment entrance doors. Hacking them is quite difficult and time-consuming, so attackers rarely open such constructions.
- Grade 4 – the most reliable degree of protection for your apartment. Even an experienced specialist with the use of special equipment will be able to unlock the mechanism for at least half an hour, so this option is considered to be guaranteed to be protected from unauthorized hacking.
All information regarding the degree of security of the selected lock can be gleaned from the passport – there is indicated the class and the result of certification, including the parameters of reliability, durability, and resistance to hacking methods.
Other criteria
Choosing a lock, you should pay attention not only to the factory specifications but also to the technical condition of the mechanism. To purchase a quality device, you should consider the basic recommendations:
- Compare the parameters of the lock and your front door. If you install powerful locks on a thin door leaf, it can cause deformation and weakening of the door. Therefore, when choosing a product, be guided not only by your own preferences but also by the characteristics of the apartment’s entrance door.
- Visually assess the status of the castle. New products must be sold in a box, have the appropriate documents. In addition, there should be no dents, rust or other defects on the lock itself – otherwise, its reliability may cause great doubts.
- Rate the locking mechanism. Be sure to make sure that the key rotates easily in the core, that it does not creak or backlash.
Carefully selected lock for the front door – a guarantee of the security of your apartment from intruders. Do not save on the locking device, and your housing will always be under reliable protection!
