On our daily routine as mobile locksmiths we come across all kinds of customers. Some call us for emergency service since they either locked themselves out or lost their keys while others call because they want to replace their locks as they just moved into a new home. Lately we have been receiving “educated” customers. We say “educated” because there are a few things one should learn before replacing his or her locks, because a lock is a generic term just as a car is. You don’t buy just any car, you choose a car after learning which fits your personal needs and has good value. The same should be with the lock on your front door which protects you, your loved ones and your valuables as well.
In 95% of the times we see a customer, we are not surprised to see they have the same “common” locks as almost everyone has on their home. These locks are made of the cheapest material; some are even made of plastic! These locks are purchased at the large hardware chains for as little as $5 a piece. As emergency locksmiths this is great, we don’t have any difficulty unlocking any customer’s door. Doesn’t a burglar have it easy as well? The answer is a definite Yes!
This is where high security locks play a major roll. The high security brand we offer here at “Locking Systems” is Mul-T-Lock. This brand holds a solid reputation for over thirty years and provides the best security for any home or business owner. What is so special about these locks? To start, the build quality is exceptional; they are made of solid brass rather than hollow tin like your common lock. The deadbolt which is one of the most popular products we sell has a bolt which retracts a complete inch within your door frame. In addition this bolt has ball bearings on both sides of it which interlock with the frame, making it difficult to pry open even with a crow bar. There are steel inserts strategically placed to prevent drilling the lock. The entire mechanism is shielded with a metal cover to prevent “ice picking”; this is when one would insert an object between the door and the lock to manipulate the mechanism. This lock is virtually impossible to pick, and even if possible, very special tools and great skill are required.
One of the most important features these high security locks provide is that they’re resistant to the infamous bump key. While most common locks can be picked and bump keyed quite easily, these locks defy such attempts. The cylinders have telescopic pins rather than regular pins; this means each pin is actually two pins, one within another.
Another special feature is the keys for these high security locks. The keys can only be duplicated by the owner of the lock. When you purchase a high security lock you receive a card which is similar to a credit card. You must sign the back of the card with your signature and from that point on, making copies of the key will only be made by you as you present this card along with a photo ID to an authorized dealer. Essentially this means key control. You can give the maid or babysitter a key and feel safe knowing that once they return the key, you can not worry about unauthorized copies have been made. This is great for business owners who want to be sure that they only have the keys to their office or store.
The variety of locks and cylinders allow us to offer this high security solution to pretty much any set up you may have, in other words we can retrofit many unique lock mechanisms with a high security cylinder.
Lastly, these locks come with a lifetime warranty which shows how sure the manufacturer is of the reliability of their products. As far as pricing, these locks are definitely much more expensive than your common lock, but most common locks don’t offer much security either. If someone is determined to break into your property they will succeed, but the majority of break ins are not by professionals and are usually random. Statistics say that most thieves will move on if they can’t successfully break in within less than a two minute window. For those with an alarm system, keep in mind that having an alarm system is good only if you want to make an insurance claim for your stolen property; an alarm system won’t help protect you and your loved ones, good security starts with a good lock.
To add it all up, high security locks offer the following:
- Exceptional build quality
- Can resist most forced entry attacks
- Will resist any attempt at lock picking
- Virtually bump proof
- Key Control-Only you can authorize copies of your key
- Flexibility-Variety of cylinders that can be fitted into most lock mechanisms
- Lifetime Mechanical Warranty
