Selecting The Right Entry Door Locks For Your Home
Most of us would likely agree that when it comes to home security, keep our families safe and protected is a major concern. When you think of your own home security, if you don't own a security system, your door hardware is the only thing keeping an intruder from breaking into your home and stealing your possessions or harming your loved ones. With such an important task it's apparent that buying entry door hardware should be done with some knowledge. As with most other products, you get what you pay for and purchasing low cost entry door hardware may not be your best option. Sure, we all like to save money, but is it worth compromising the safety of your family just to save a few dollars?
By far the safest type of entry door locks are what are called mortise locks. A mortise lock is one that requires a pocket or “mortise” to be cut in a door, causing the lock to sit flush with the door. Most often mortise locks are found on older buildings since newer, cylindrical locks were a later invention. With a mortise lock, the locking mechanism sits inside the thickness of the door and some say that because the door must be carved or cut out to accommodate the lock, that it makes the door weaker. While this may be true, they are still the most solid exterior locking mechanisms that can be installed in a home. When it comes to home break-ins through the front door, a mortise locking mechanism is your best bet against a break-in.
On the negative side, a mortise lock requires that a trained installer is hired to install the lock. Newer cylindrical locks can easily be installed by most homeowners, but not so with mortise locks. It's best if their installation is left to a professional. Although this will increase the cost to you, it's well worth spending the money to have a quality entry door lock installed on your home, keeping you, your family and your possessions safe from danger.
Price ranges for entry door locks and hardware can range from the inexpensive at under $50 and can exceed several hundred dollars as well. Beyond the actual locking feature of the door hardware of course is the aesthetics of it. You may have a certain style that you are trying to achieve with your home and therefore might have to purchase a certain door lock to make the exterior of your home look consistent.
For the best quality exterior door hardware, spend as much as you can afford. As we said before, safety is not something that we can put a price on. If you have a low budget, you may have to do some shopping around to find the best deal, but for those where budget is not as much of a concern, buying the best quality door hardware that you can afford is an investment that you will not regret.
