What to Avoid When Choosing a New Lock

At one point in time, you will have to replace the lock of your front door. Severe damage, extensive wear and outdating are the main reasons for lock replacement. In general, there is no need to wait until the device breaks or gets stuck. You can make it a point to upgrade the front door lock on a regular basis in order to keep your home secure. The next logical question is how to choose the right device for your needs. The most important thing of all is to avoid making common mistakes which will lead you to making a bad choice. Find out what these are.

What Not to Do When Shopping for Door Locks

The use of inaccurate door measurements is perhaps the most serious mistake that you can make. If these are wrong, you will get a device which cannot be fitted properly and you will be forced to start the shopping from scratch. There are three door measurements which will enable you to select a door lockset of the right size. The first one is the distance from the center of the lock to the edge of the door. This is the backset. The second measurement is the circumference of the hole which lies across the core section of the handle. This is the cross bore. The third measurement is the easiest one to get right. This is the thickness of the door. 

Going shopping without a clear set of requirements is another one of the bad mistakes which you can make. It is best to make a set of important decisions in advance. Decide between a traditional physical device and an electronic lock. This will narrow down the scope of your search immensely. You should also decide on the right type of locking mechanism for you. More and more homeowners go for deadbolt installation rather than for a traditional spring bolt device.

Overlooking the grade is also a mistake which can cost you dearly. There are established standards for the operation, strength and level of security of locks. Based on them, these devices are given grades. The ones with Grade 1 meet the highest standards for quality. It is certainly worth investing in such a device. Just make sure that you watch out for important details when you consider the grade. All components of the lockset must meet the same standards for quality. 

Focusing only on the short term is something which can prevent you from choosing the best lock. It is certainly worth investing more in a stronger and more advanced device. In this way, you will have to opt for lock change less frequently in order to keep the security of your house optimal.

Use the advice shared here to choose the ideal lock for your needs.