Our team at Aaron-Elliott Locksmiths has extensive experience in this business, and we want to help you keep your property safe from intruders. One of the many products we offer to help you do this is deadbolts, which are locks that feature sturdy metal components designed to allow your doors to resist forced entry. In this article, we’ll go over some basic information about deadbolts to help you understand how they keep your home or business safe.
• Security – The first thing we want you to know about deadbolts and deadbolt locks is that they offer greater security than spring-action models. A spring-based lock has a much shorter bolt that can be “jimmied” open with a credit card or a knife, but a deadbolt is significantly longer, which means it extends further into the pocket of the door frame and can’t be tampered with in this way.
• Proper Installation – The second thing you should know about deadbolts is that they only work effectively when paired with certain kinds of doors. For example, deadbolts are not a good fit for hollow-core doors, as this type of door is not strong enough to withstand much battering. This defeats the purpose of the deadbolt since intruders can simply break down the door. Instead, make sure to install deadbolt locks on doors made of solid wood, steel, or fiberglass, as these materials are much stronger.
• Strike Plates – Lastly, to get the best results from your deadbolts, you should pair them with durable, high-quality strike plates. For those who don’t know, the strike plate is the metal piece on the door frame where the bolt slides in. The strike plate needs to be strong enough to keep the deadbolt in place even when someone is trying to force their way in.