My Opinion as a Locksmith on The Best Door Locks – IKS Locksmiths

At IKS Locksmiths we are experts in professional lock fitting in north London. Our locksmiths are experienced in wooden, aluminium and UPVC door lock replacement and repairs. People often ask me “what the best door locks are?” or “what is the best door lock brand?” These are not questions that can be answered in a word.

The best lock in a particular situation will vary depending on factors such as;

• The type of door – A UPVC door requires a different lock than a wooden door.
• The situation – Some situations may warrant a high security lock and some don’t.
• The type of premises – A larger building may require a master key suite
• The use and the owners requirements – In some scenarios a keyless lock may be the best option for business premises or where keys are likely to be lost.

When choosing a locksmith to change door locks it is important to choose a genuine reliable and experienced locksmith who will fit high quality locks to a high standard.

Different Locks for Each Type of Door

The Best Lock for Wooden Doors

The minimum requirement for a wooden door is a mortice deadlock that conforms to BS3621 2007. This along with a night latch should ideally be used on any wooden door.

The ideal security solution for a wooden front door is;

• An insurance approved mortice Lock
• A good night latch
• Adequate door reinforcement (if applicable)

There are many mortice locks that conform to BS3621 but our preference is the Union brand (which replaced Chubb a few years ago). There are other brands on the market such as Era, Legge, Securefast, etc and we do fit them but for the maximum quality, we recommend that our customers choose the Union mortice lock (Union has now replaced Chubb).

Nightlatches are also important on a wooden door and the best night latches offer a deadlocking option. On many occasions, this is another 360-degree turn of the key but many locks will automatically deadlock when they are shut,

The Best Lock for Composite or UPVC Doors

Most break-ins I attend are through these types of doors! The main security flaw with composite / UPVC / Double Glazed doors is the fact that the cylinder can be snapped.

UPVC Door Warning!

As a priority cylinders on these types of doors should be upgraded to Anti-snap cylinders!

UPVC Door Security Solution

The 3 star anti-snap locks are the best ones to have installed. Ideally they should have a 3 Star Diamond Sold Secure Rating. This is something we provide with our Brisant range of locks. Brisant locks are high quality locks.

The Best Lock for Sliding Doors

Sliding Patio Doors can potentially be the easiest door for an intruder to gain access to! Yet if the correct locks are installed they can also be one of the hardest for an intruder to access.

Sliding Door Warning!

If it is possible to lift the door off its tracks whilst in the locked position this is a security risk and the locks need to be assessed and upgraded as a priority.

Sliding Door Security Solution

If key-operated bolts are installed on the inside it will make it extremely difficult for an intruder to gain access.

Specialised Locks

The Best High Security Locks

Read here if you are wondering “what are high security door locks?”

Our preferred high security lock brands are Brisant and Mul-T-Lock.

The Best Master Key Suite Security System

If you are looking for a master key suite security system choose keys which are on a  restricted or patented section like Mul-t-lock or Brisant. This will mean that it is harder for duplicate keys to be made and is therefore more secure.

The Best Keyless Door Locks

There are a variety of keyless door locks for both internal and external use. Ranging from basic to high spec. The best keyless lock for a particular door is very much dependant on the circumstances. Considerations would be the thickness of the door and what is being secured behind the door. We fit Unican keyless locks which are high spec keyless locks. We also fit Codelocks and Lockey keyless locks and they all serve their purpose.

When looking for information online about the best locks there is surprisingly little available. There doesn’t seem to be a UK equivalent to this door lock buying guide from an American Based company.  There are however plenty of articles about the best bike locks!  This is why I felt the need to share the information I have on choosing the best lock as it can be quite confusing when you aren’t familiar with the requirements and terminology.

When it comes to lock brands there are a number of lock brands on the market and it is not always the most expensive brand that is the best. It is advisable to invest in a higher quality lock. At IKS we only supply high quality locks yet we do provide a range of price options to choose from. It is important that you understand what you are paying for.

Should you require any advice on lock installation in London or Hertfordshire please do get in touch.

Image by Tom Woodward

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});