Best tips to choose the right lock for your door

Are you considering replacing your door lock? Or you do not know whether to choose a mechanical or a smart lock? Your choice depends partly on your lifestyle and partly on your door. So read on and get smarter.

When you need to have your locks replaced and choose secure locks, it is recommended that you consult with a locksmith. The Professional Locksmith in Toronto will be able to guide you to the best solution based on the doors that are in your home.

How many types of door locks are there?

There are a number of different types of locks that fit into the private home, each designed to fit different types of doors and different needs.

Needs can be about how high a security level you want. For example, how often do you use the door, and how often do you want to lock or unlock the door, whether you are tired of keys or dream of having only one key for all locks.

Maybe you rent out your home or holiday home and need a digital code lock, so you do not have to hand over keys to new tenants.

Different door types are about having different locks for, for example, your main door and your patio door, just as you will probably choose a high-security lock for your front door. At the same time, the shed may well settle for a cheaper model with lower security.

Additionally, some locks require that your door have a certain thickness. You can choose a box lock for a thinner door such as the door to the kitchen stairs.

Mechanical locks vs. smart locks

Smart locks are digitally controlled locks where the locking bolt is pushed out using electronics. In addition, the lock is battery-powered. A smart lock can be controlled via a code, a key chip, or remotely via an app or remote control.

Which lock fits my door?

Which lock fits your door depends on whether the door has a built-in lock case or not. At the same time, the thickness of the door and the type of your door affect your lock choice.

Does your door already have a lock that you just want to replace?

If your door already has a lock case built-in, replacing the lock is relatively easy. However, make reservations if you want to replace your lock with a more secure version of your current lock that is broken, if you want a digital lock, or if you want to keep track of the number of keys to your home.

Do you want to replace the existing mechanical lock with a new, safer, and more up-to-date cylinder?

Then it is just a matter of you having to change the lock cylinder. The lock case remains in the door, exactly as it is.

Before moving down to your local hardware store, measure the thickness of your door. In addition, you should note whether your door is hung right or left and check the shape of your current locking cylinder – is it round or oval? Your new cylinder should have the same shape to fit into the hole in the door.

When you need to replace the cylinder, depending on the thickness of the door, you may also need an extension part, just as you may also need a new cylinder ring. You can also consider what you want on the inside of the door. For example, should the door be locked from the inside?

Your lock is broken. The locking bolt no longer works optimally.

If you want to replace your lock due to the lock bolt problem – the part that slides out of the door and into the endplate in the door frame – then it is the lock case you must have replaced.

You can most likely continue to use the same lock cylinder.

However, most front doors have a 3-point lock. I.e., in addition to the bolt that goes into the door frame, the door has two more swing bolts – one at the top and one at the bottom. So if you need to lift the handle up to lock your door, you have a 3-point lock.

In this case, we recommend that you contact a locksmith. He can help you with whether the lock can be repaired or if a brand new lock is needed.

Do you want to replace your mechanical lock with a smart door lock?

Whether your mechanical lock can be replaced with a smart lock depends on the thickness of your door.

If it is a good solid front door or entrance door with a thickness of between 40 and 88 mm, then you can, for example, use the smart lock. However, there are many different types of 3-point locks. Therefore, you must choose the lock that fits precisely with the dimensions of your door.

Of course, you can also ally yourself with a Locksmith Tampa who can change the lock for you.

After a recent move, you’re unsure how many keys are in circulation.

If the locks in your new home otherwise work and have an up-to-date level of security that suits your needs, then there may be no need to replace the locks at all.

First, talk to your local locksmith or staff at your local hardware store. Then you can be guided in whether your locks can be recoded into new keys or whether the locks should be replaced instead.

Do you want to get a lock on a door without a built-in lock case?

If it is an exterior door, such as a kitchen or basement door, you can choose a box lock. You probably know it. The black box sits outside the door.

This way, you can get the same key for all doors, even if your doors have different locks.

Instead of a patio or balcony door, we recommend a patio door lock. That is a handle with a built-in lock. The lock can be a cylinder for a key or a door handle with a code lock.

The padlock is also available with the same locking cylinder as for the other cylinder locks in the house, which is why you will also be able to use the same key here.