Do you know which lock to buy?

Get a few tips to help you learn which locks are available so you can stay protected.

Protecting your home is really like protecting your peace of mind. You want to ensure that your home and your family are as safe as possible. But it can be hard to know which lock to buy, to make sure your valuables remain safe. Here are a few tips to help make your choice of lock simpler.

Before exploring the types of locks available for your home, it’s important to note that many people forget to even lock their doors! Avoid this at all costs. Any security is better than no security at all, so you should begin by getting in the habit of ensuring your own security starts each time you close your door.

Some people don't carry around keys since they can be bulky. Fortunately, there are now many keyless or keypad solutions that will free up these people’s precious pocket space. One great advantage of keypad style locks is that they can be re-keyed—to allow temporary access for guests or contractors—and then changed later. These two convenient benefits are enough for some.

When protecting your home, it’s important to know how break-ins happen. Often a drill will be inserted into the lock to destroy the pin and tumbler system and compromise the lock’s ability to stay secure. Another common method is a simple kick-in forced entry, where the area surrounding the lock is kicked with a heavy boot, splintering the wood that holds the lock into the door jamb. Knowing what you're defending against will help you choose your security method.

You can buy the most expensive lock on the market, but if it's mounted to a hollow-core door, it will not provide much security in forced-entry situation. So getting a heavy-duty door and solid doorframe might be your first step.

Also, most people realize that deadbolts offer greater security than locks that are built into door knobs, so you should consider a deadbolt as your most secure option.

• Deadbolts with hardened cylinders
• All metal construction
• Uncommon pin configurations
• Strike plates mounted with three inch screws

And remember, optics matter. The more locks you use, the greater deterrent you provide to someone  looking for a quick break and enter theft. Employing a combination of locks on your front door might be just the deterrent a would-be thief needs to skip your house, especially if you know which locks to buy.