Generally, after a while and exposure to the outside elements, any exterior door hardware may look more or less weathered. However, door locks come in a huge variety of products that differ greatly among themselves as quality or functionality. Of course, the good quality ones respond better to the vagaries of weather and wear.
For your peace of mind and safety is extremely important to know that you can rely on a solid door lock. It is therefore vital choosing a durable exterior door hardware, which will deter any burglar.
Unfortunately, often (I might say, 8 times out of 10) it is not chosen the right door lock. Why is that?
Several factors combine to a wrong choice of a new hardware, such as:
A) Many homeowners prefer a cheap door lock, rather than a high quality one.
B) The lack of experience of many homeowners has a weighty role to play.
Unfortunately, if you are choosing poor quality locks for your exterior doors you can downgrade your home security system. An inexperienced homeowner may be misled by the commercial aspect of the package. Very often, inexpensive door hardware, poor quality locks are displayed in attractive packages specially designed to delight the eye and to catch the buyer.
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It is a serious mistake to buy a poor quality door lock. These cheap locks are extremely vulnerable to break in, and an experienced burglar knows very well with what kind of door locks he is dealing. On the other hand, a good quality door hardware will act as a deterrent for burglars. Any criminal will look for a way to enter the house as quick and easy as possible. He will not lose valuable time in front of a secure door with a high quality hardware and will try to break in somewhere else.
Your home security is not the only issue with a cheap door lock. A poor quality lock can cost you more money over time than a high quality lock. They are notorious for malfunctioning and jamming after a while.
Therefore, if you are thinking to replace your old locks you should choose a good, well known brand such as Weiser or Schlage, which also provide excellent warranties.
How to Choose a Good-Quality Lock
1| First of all weigh the deadbolt. May seem a joke but this is reality. The weight of a door lock says a lot about its strength and quality. Generally speaking, the more expensive and the heavier the deadbolt, the higher quality your lock is.
2| Before buying a new lock you should look if it has saw-resistant bolt with a steel shrouds that cover the extension of the bolt. Also, look for pick resistant cylinder, free-spin collar and the most important a solid brass body. These features will be the guarantee that your new lock will successfully resist any attempt of intrusion.