As promised, here at Security Masters we are making April – love your locks month. Please send your photos of your locks by text to 07983 359061 or by EMAIL to us with no addresses so we can ensure anonymity. Make sure you tell us the make of the lock and any other information you can find, such as a kitemark or BS3621 information.
We will tell you about the locks, what could potentially be issues and what sort of lock you may wish to consider instead. Check back in here to our Pick of the Locks blog post, to see all the locks and advice we are sharing with you.
Lock Number One
So, here’s our first lock that has been submitted. As you can see, it has the BS3621 kitemark. We have rotated the image so you can easily read it.
The second image is of the same lock. This particular lock has a deadlock which means that when in use, the door cannot be opened from the inside. You would operate the deadlock as you leave your home. This means if an intruder gains access to your home through a window for example, they cannot just walk out via your door with your valuables. Instead, they will have to find another way out, such as back through the way they came in.
This is a good quality lock which we would be happy to install. With the BS3621 kitemark, it is considered to be up to insurance standard.
Lock Number Two
So, here’s lock number two. This is what we call a traditional night latch. The lock is very easily compromised and can be picked or bounced open very quickly. These are methods used by locksmiths to gain access when someone is locked out for example.
The lock has no kitemark, so hopefully the owner of this lock has another BS3621 kitemark lock on their door. If not, we would recommend that it is upgraded to a lock similar to lock number one, photographed above in this post.
Lock Number three
So our third pick of the locks is reasonably good quality. Although it doesn’t have the BS3621 kitemark, it would be more difficult to compromise than lock number two. It has an automatic deadlock just like lock number one above, but in recent years these types of locks have been superceded by British Standard BS3621 locks with the kitemark.
Lock Number Four
Here we have a five lever mortice lock, which is the second lock on the same door with lock number three. This gives additional security but again has no British Standard kitemark. This means that neither lock on this door would be insurance approved.
Lock Number Five
Here we have a UPVC multipoint door lock. It is probably worth just checking the cylinder to see if it has a kitemark. It is also worth checking if it works on rollers or hooks and asking your insurance company if it meets their standards. We also can’t tell from the photo how many points it locks on, but the more points the better.
Lock Number Six
So here we have a lock that we call a sash lock. The additional key in the photo we assume belongs to the same door. This lock again may not have the BS3621 kitemark, although may also be acceptable to an insurance company, but we’d definitely recommend checking this. The additional key would be for a rack bolt, which would probably be used at the top and bottom of the door for extra security.
Lock Number Seven
This is an older lock on a UPVC door, which we estimate is about 10 to 15 years old. At the centre of the lock are two rollers and there are extensions at the top and bottom of the door for added security. As there have been a lot of improvements in the quality of locks in recent years, we would recommend upgradng this lock for insurance purposes. Also, because of its age, it is unlikely to be as effective as newer locks of a similar standard.
Lock Number Eight
Here we have a lock with all the hallmarks of good quality. It looks very new and has the ‘Secure by Design’ logo which is MLA approved. It has a 6 pin cylinder, high quality handles and a hook mechanism when it locks. This is what we would consider to be a very effective lock.
Lock Number Nine
This is not a bad night latch. The black bit on the bolt acts as an anti thrust bolt, which means it automatically deadlocks when the door is closed. so cannot be easily opened with a plastic card. It is a good lock for privacy but it needs the additional support of a security British Standard deadlock.
Lock Numbers Ten and Eleven
These two lock photos from the same door are of the cylinders only and we cannot see what type of locks they operate in conjunction with. However, they are fairly standard lock cylinders that are not insurance rated.
Lock Number Twelve
This lock is very similar to lock number Nine and is not a bad night latch. It also has the black bit on the bolt which acts as an anti thrust bolt, which means it automatically deadlocks when the door is closed. Although it is a good lock to have for privacy, it does need the additional support of a security British Standard deadlock.
Lock Number Thirteen
This is a deadlock with a cylinder and turn. This is not insurance approved but we are under the impression that the latch lock in number twelve above and this deadlock are on a communal door. This means they have to be in line with fire standards. Fire standards mean they have to be quick release. We would recommend that if this is the case, that the doors to any individual flats have good insurance rated locks installed.
Thanks to everyone who sent us photos and information about their locks. We hope you’ve found it useful. It’s not too late if you want to send us a photo now or in the future. We are always happy to give free advice.
Author : Security Master
Added on : 2014-04-12
