HIGH SECURITY DOOR LOCKS - AMBASSADOR WINDOWS

The doors in our homes and businesses are used constantly. We can become complacent in believing that when we shut the door behind us that we are now secure. The truth could be very different.

For a door to be secure it needs to have at least a multipoint lock or a 5 lever mortice lock. This is the minimum. Beyond that it is vital that key cylinders on modern locks are of an anti-pick and anti-snap type, otherwise your high security multipoint locking system could be opened in seconds and rendered useless. Ambassador Window Repairs can assess the security locks on your doors and advise you on any improvements that could be made.

Types of door locks.

Most Irish front and back doors have a mulit-point locking system. Most will operate using a simple roller system, shootbolts or a more sophisticated hook lock incorporating a combination of all of these. There is a great deal of variation within this category of lock with some providing excellent security and others that are questionable. As mentioned above the weakest point of the locking system can be the key cylinder. You need to have an anti-snap cylinder fitted otherwise burglars can gain access in seconds.

If you are one of the 30% of people that simply lift the handle of the multipoint lock without turning the key then you might as well leave to front door open.

Single point locks are mainly found on older aluminium doors. These can be very difficult to source nowadays but we still have some in stock. These locks tended to be very simple and so were a very robust lock. To improve door security where this type of lock has been used an upgraded key cylinder is a good starting point. Some timber doors use single point locks. Older single point locks on timber doors tend to be 3 lever. Simply changing to 5 lever will give added security.

The night latch lock is very common although you might not recognise the name. They are often called Yale locks or Hall Door Locks. This again is a simple and long lasting lock but it does not offer great security and so should, where possible, be used in conjunction with a five lever mortice lock.

A Mortice lock is a lock that is set into the frame of the door unlike the night latch above which sits on the surface of the door. When we think of mortice locks many people will immediately think of Chubb locks. These 5 lever locks are an excellent security lock. They are most common on wooden doors but are occasionally used on aluminium doors.

Because doors are in constant use they can sometimes give trouble by dropping, catching and being difficult to close or lock. Whether your door has dropped and is now catching at the bottom or side or you have a loose handle or faulty lock, we can help. French doors are a particular culprit in this regard. Some doors need only simple adjustments to realign the door to the frame or the door lock to the receivers, others may require whole new high security locking systems or high security key cylinder upgrades. Despite the vast array of different types of doors and door locks we usually repair or replace two thirds of faulty door parts in one visit.

If you are unsure about the level of security offered by you door then give Ambassador Window Repairs a call and we can assess your current situation and offer advice on making improvements.