Home Security
How can I tell if I have the right locks for my insurance policy?
Different insurance companies ask for different locks on your doors and windows so you need to clarify with them what they want you to have as they are insuring you. Insurance companies will call your front door your final exit door and this can be a wooden door, PVCU door, Aluminium door or composite door.
For a wooden front door, most insurance companies ask for you to have a 5 lever British Standard deadlock conforming to BS3621, everyone refers to this lock as a Chubb lock but Chubb is a named brand, and this lock needs to be locked at all times when the property is empty.
For a PVCU front door and a composite front door you will normally have to lift the handles up and turn the key to fully lock the door. This type of lock is referred by insurance companies as a multi-point locking system. This means it locks in more than one place. Remember you must lift the handles up and turn the key so the handles will not come down to fully lock this type of door.
Aluminium front doors are a very old type of door and are sometimes fitted with a similar type of lock as a PVCU and composite door, a multi-point locking system but some aluminium doors do not have the required lock fitted and need a 5 lever BS3621 British standard deadlock fitted.
Prices
How much is it to change a Yale lock?
Depending on what Yale lock you have and why it needs to be changed will depend on the price. If you have a standard Yale lock and you just want change the lock to give you new keys, you can normally just change the Yale cylinder or Yale barrel, the cylinder is the part of the lock on the outside of the door where you put your key into. If you have a faulty Yale lock or a standard Yale lock and want to upgrade to a high security Yale lock it will depend on what Yale lock you currently have on your door and which Yale lock you want to upgrade to as Yale make several rim locks. Remember Yale is just one manufacturer. You could have on your door or upgrade to a Ingersoll lock, Banham lock, Era lock, Union lock or Asec lock. So there is no definite answer to how much it would cost to change a Yale lock.
How much is it to change a Chubb lock?
Chubb is a brand of lock and there are several different types of Chubb locks and it depends on which Chubb lock you have to how much it costs to change. Everyone refers to their deadlock as a Chubb lock but there are several manufacturers with each manufacturer making several types of lock and it depends on what lock you have currently in your door to what lock you can change it to which will then effect the price. So there is no definite answer to how much it would cost to change a Chubb lock.
How much is it to change my front door locks?
The cost to change your front door locks depends on what locks you currently have in your door as there are several manufacturers of locks with each making a number of different locks. Some manufacturers make it so that once you have there brand of lock in your door you have no choice but to swap the lock for a like for like replacement but for some you can just change the cylinder/barrel, the outside part of the lock, to give you new keys. Likewise with certain deadlocks, not all deadlocks, you can change the internal components of the lock to give you new keys, keeping the body of the lock.
How much is it to change a Banham lock?
Banham have made several different types of locks over the years and have recently changed their keys as the patent on the older cylinders has run out so anyone can cut keys. On some Banham locks you are able to replace the cylinder to obtain a new key but with others you need to replace the whole lock.
How much is it to change an Ingersoll lock?
Ingersoll locks are one of the best locks on the market and there are several different types of Ingersoll lock.
Choosing Door Hardware
What is a Yale lock?
Yale is a manufacturer of locks. Yale make rim locks, deadlocks, window locks and other secondary security products like key operated locks, door chains etc. People often call a rim lock or Nightlatch a Yale lock. This is the lock which automatically locks when you shut the door. It is opened with a key from the outside and has a lever or knob attached to the body of the lock on the inside which you turn or twist to open the door.
What is a rim lock?
A rim lock is a lock fitted to inside surface of your door which uses a cylinder from the outside to open and you have a lever or knob on the inside to open the lock. A rim lock has a latch which when you close the door automatically engages in the strike plate which is fitted to the door frame. There are many different manufacturers of rim locks each making numerous styles and quality of rim locks like Yale rim locks, Ingersoll rim locks, Era rim locks, Banham rim locks, union rim locks, Asec rim locks to name just a few.
What is an auto-deadlocking rim lock?
An auto-deadlocking rim lock is a rim lock that is fitted with a security feature that automatically engages when you shut the door. It automatically deadlocks the latch or bolt so it can not be slipped open or forced open from the outside. There are many different manufacturers of auto-deadlocking rim locks, to name just a few, Yale auto-deadlocking rim locks, Ingersoll auto-deadlocking rim locks, Era auto-deadlocking rim locks, Banham auto-deadlocking rim locks, union auto-deadlocking rim locks, Asec auto-deadlocking rim locks.
What Is a Chubb lock?
Chubb was a manufacturer of locks. The Chubb brand has recently been incorporated with Yale locks and Union locks as they are all owned by the same company, Assa Abloy. Chubb made rim locks, deadlocks, window locks and other secondary security products like key operated locks, door chains etc. People often call a mortice deadlock a Chubb lock. A mortice deadlock is a lock which is morticed, cut into, the edge of the door and is operated by a key from both sides. When you turn the key to lock the lock a deadbolt is thrown and engages in the strike plate which is fitted to the door frame. Once the bolt has been thrown it can not be pushed back into the lock with your finger unlike a latch.
What is a mortice deadlock?
A mortice deadlock is a lock which is morticed, cut into, the small edge of a door and is operated with a key from both sides. When the key has been turned to lock the lock a bolt is thrown which can not be pushed back into the lock, you need a key to unlock the lock. There are many different manufacturers of mortice deadlocks each making numerous styles and quality of deadlocks like Yale mortice deadlocks, Ingersoll mortice deadlocks, Era mortice deadlocks, Banham mortice deadlocks, union mortice deadlocks, Asec mortice deadlocks, Legge mortice deadlocks to name just a few. For internal doors you generally have a 2 or 3 lever deadlock fitted as internal doors are often thinner than an external front door. For external doors you should have a 5 lever British Standard BS3621 insurance approved deadlock fitted as these need to be higher security to prevent a burglary.
What is a 5 lever British standard BS3621 mortice deadlock?
A 5 lever British Standard BS3621 mortice deadlock is a lock which is required by insurance companies to be fitted to all external wooden doors. It is morticed, cut into, the edge of the door and is operated by a key from both sides. The deadbolt, which is thrown by the key, engages into a strike plate which is fitted to the door frame. There are certain features a deadlock has to have to be a British Standard deadlock. They must have at least 5 levers, levers are what the key has to move up in order for you to throw the bolt, lock or unlock the lock. There must also be a curtain, bolt thrower, which protects the levers from being manipulated and the lock being picked open. The bolt must have some form of hardening, some locks have hardened pins running through the bolt whilst some manufacturers make the entire bolt hardened, meaning you can not cut through the bolt with a hacksaw. The bolt which is thrown by the key and engages into the strike plate must be of a certain size and length. A deadlock must also have hardened plates attached to the body of the deadlock to prevent anyone drilling through the door into the lock with a standard drill bit. Lastly the strike plate, which is fitted to the door frame and the bolt engages into, must be a boxed strike plate and of a certain size.
What locks should I have on my wooden front door?
Traditionally on a wooden front door you would have a rim lock/ Nightlatch, often referred to as a Yale lock, which is normally fitted around shoulder height for convenience opening the door and latches shut when you close the door. You should also have a 5 lever British Standard BS3621 mortice deadlock, often referred of as a Chubb lock, ideally fitted on the lower third of the door. You need a 5 lever British Standard BS3621 deadlock for your own safety and to comply with your contents insurance policy.
What locks should I have on my PVC front door?
Most PVC doors are fitted with a multi-point locking system. This is a lock that when you lift the handles up, throws locking devices from the lock mechanism in the door into strike plates situated on the frame. You also need to turn the key in the cylinder to fully lock the door which also prevents the handles from moving and unlocking the lock.
What locks should I have on my wooden back door?
Different insurance companies have different requirements regarding back doors. Some ask just for a 5 lever British Standard BS3621 mortice lock, either a sashlock or a deadlock. A sashlock is a lock which has a latch as well as a bolt and works with a pair of handles and a key from both sides. A deadlock is just a bolt and is key operated from both sides. Other insurance companies require you to have key operated bolts at the top and bottom of the door as well as any lock, 2 or 3 lever deadlock or sashlock normally in the middle of the door. Lastly your insurance company may require you to have both a 5 lever British Standard BS3621 mortice lock and key operated bolts.
What locks should I have on my wooden French windows/ double doors?
Different insurance companies have different requirements regarding French windows / double back doors. Some ask just for a 5 lever British Standard BS3621 mortice lock fitted to the first opening door (leaf), either a sashlock or a deadlock. A sashlock is a lock which has a latch as well as a bolt and works with a pair of handles and a key from both sides. A deadlock is just a bolt and is key operated from both sides. On the second opening door (leaf) they ask for key operated bolts fitted at the top and bottom of the door. Other insurance companies require you to have key operated bolts at the top and bottom of both doors as well as any lock, 2 or 3 lever deadlock or sashlock normally in the middle of the door. Lastly your insurance company may require you to have both a 5 lever British Standard BS3621 mortice lock and key operated bolts fitted top and bottom of both doors (leafs).
What is a multi point locking system?
A multi-point locking system is generally found on PVC doors but are also found on wooden, composite and aluminium doors and comprise of a minimum of three locking points that all lock simultaneously by lifting the handle and/or turning the key and if they are a main entrance, then for insurance purposes you will need a lock cylinder with at least five pins.
Should I change the locks on my new home/when I move house?
You should always change the locks on your new home, not only to comply with your insurance requirements but for the safety of you and your family. Do you know if you have been given all the keys to your new property? Is it worth the risk? With any type of security it is normally a one off payment, once your secure your secure. It is not like a car which you have to service and MOT every year.
What is a ‘key and turn’ cylinder lock?
This particular type of cylinder lock is key operated externally and has an internal knob, called a thumbturn. Different styles are available, depending on the manufacturer. The internal thumbturn mechanism will enable you to easily lock and unlock the door from inside, if required, while allowing access from outside with the key. This prevents accidental lockouts caused by the key being left in the back of the door, and allows for emergency exit.