Singaporeans most prized possession is their homes, as one can imagine. It’s the single most expensive asset they will acquire during their lifetime, and spend a lot of money on to renovate it and make it their dream home. To protect their sanctuary, one would definitely like to ensure that the home is secure. Over time, things do wear and tear, and this includes door knobs that can turn rusty, become loose or have its lock stuck.  As such, it is important to know how to choose a door lock for your home, and how to maintain it so it lasts longer.

The door lock should be chosen based on the level of security required and also the type of door you want to install the door lock on.

Level of Security

 

In Singapore, the lock quality is defined in terms of three grades based on security levels. The security is tested based on different criteria like locking mechanism, impact, lock strength and weight.

• Grade 1 locks are the most secure locks which are used for the main doors of the house, commercial premises. They are commonly known as heavy duty locks
• Grade 2 locks can be used for interior door locks of a house or commercial property.
• Grade 3 locks are inexpensive locks for keeping rooms secure but are easily broken into.

 

 

Recommended Door Locks For Different Types of Door

Depending on what type of door and where it is situated in your house, you can choose to have different levels of security for your door lock.

 

• Main Entrance Door

Obviously as this is your front door and the primary defense against burglars or solicitors, your main door lock has to be the strongest and most reliable. Knowing how your door locks at home work, will greatly help in your decision-making.

Type #1: Mortise Door Locks

Most HDB doors are usually already equipped with a mortise door lock. A mortise door lock requires the main part of the lock, to be entrenched in a cutout pocket in the door itself. It is commonly installed because it is stronger than a standard cylinder barrel lock, and is long-lasting.

Type #2: Night Latch or Deadbolt Latch

This lock works similarly like the mortise lock, but its special feature is that it has to be locked from the inside. However, when you step out of the house and close the door, the night latch will automatically lock the door for you. In comparison, the mortise lock still has to be locked from both the inside and outside of the house.

Type #3: Digital Lock

Digital locks have been steadily gaining popularity throughout Singapore due to the recent interest in smart home automation. Digital locks are also easy to purchase and install in place of the traditional door lock. It is also one of the most secure ways to lock your door as it’s “keys” can’t be stolen, and it cannot be manually broken or damaged to make passage into your home like a regular door lock.

• Interior Room Doors

The doors within your home like bedroom doors, storeroom doors or service balcony doors does not exactly need a high-grade security lock. They just need to be functional.

Most of your room doors also tend to be wooden doors, and so are suitable for any kinds of locks. Usually, simple and inexpensive locks like thumb turn locks, door knob locks, or door handle locks are sufficient.

 

• Toilet Doors

Toilet doors would usually need less of a security than your interior room doors. But, in some facilities where toilet door locks have to be more secure to protect privacy in public, it is still important to choose the right lock to serve its purposes.

Most toilet doors at home would utilise a barrel bolt or hand lever with door lock mechanisms.

 

How To Tell If A Lock Is A Quality Lock

– It should be pick resistant, the lock mechanism should be designed so that it cannot be easily picked

– It uses innovative technology to make it more secure

– It is recommended by a professional locksmith, since they are aware of the latest technologies, designs and types of locks they work with.

Things To Consider When Changing Locks

When a family moves to a new home, it is advisable to change the locks, since the previous owners may have keys to the house. Similarly, if the lock is malfunctioning it may be necessary to change the lock. It is important to decide which family members will have access to which rooms. Since the process of installing a high quality secure lock can be fairly complicated, it is advisable to hire a change door lock service like Little Locksmith since the staff will have the tools and expertise to install the lock properly. It is also advisable to use high quality locks so that the lock can be used for many years, without changing it. See tips on when to change your locks, so that you can decide whether it is a necessary expenditure at the juncture.

What Is The Average Cost of Changing A Door Lock

Before hiring a locksmith’s door lock service, it is very common to want to know what is the market rate first to get the best deal.  Typically, the locksmith prices are across of range of locksmith services like changing door locks start from $90 inclusive of labour, door lock supplies and transport. For door unlock service that occur outside of usual business hours, usually an emergency locksmith will be required and they charge a 50%-200% surcharge on top of the standard locksmith services for unlocking the home. With the varied level of skills and the number of locksmiths you can find in Singapore, it is always wise to know how to find a reliable residential locksmith.

If you are in need of a change in locks or even door handle lock repair in Singapore, look for a reliable locksmith that can help you with your emergency. Little Locksmith is your reliable service provider that can help with all kinds of lock services. Whatsapp or email us at enquiry@littlelocksmith.com to find out more about our services.