Scarborough Locksmith 519-489-2331

Locks Change Scarborough

Selecting The Correct Entry Door Locks

Keeping our families safe and protected from harm is a primary concern for most of us when it comes to home security. But, it’s important to realize that if you don’t have a security system installed, your entry door hardware is the only thing preventing a prowler from coming in to your home to steal from you, and possibly even harm your loved ones. Buying entry door hardware, then, is not a task to be taken lightly. It’s important to do your homework and choose carefully, and buying something cheap just to save money may not be your best option. While we all want to keep costs down, is it really worth it if your family’s safety is compromised?

When it comes to keeping your front door secure, a mortise lock is by far the most effective choice.

This type of lock involves carving a pocket or “mortise” in the door where the locking mechanism is housed so that the lock is flush with the door. Mortise locks are most commonly found in older buildings; the cylindrical locks that we commonly see today were invented later on. Some people insist that mortise locks weaken the door because a portion of the door must be carved out to house the lock, but this locking mechanism has proven itself to be the most effective when it comes to protecting your front door from intruders.

One negative aspect of a mortise lock is that it will require installation by a trained professional.

In contrast to the newer cylindrical locks that most homeowners can easily install themselves, the installation of mortise locks should be left to the professionals only. This means that you will end up spending a bit more, but this extra expense it worth it since you’ll have the peace of mind of knowing that you’re giving your family (and your possessions) the maximum possible protection.

Prices for entry door locks and hardware can cost you as little as $50 or less at the inexpensive end, or may run into the several hundreds of dollars at the high end. In addition to the function of the lock, chances are you’ll be concerned with the aesthetics of the lock hardware you buy. It may be necessary to buy a certain lock that matches with the style, period, or decor of your home.

To get the best possible exterior door hardware, spend as much money as you can reasonably afford.

Remember that you can’t put a price on your family’s safety. If you are working with a limited budget, you may need to shop around to find an affordable deal on quality lock hardware, but if cost is less of an issue, purchasing the best quality door hardware available is a worthwhile investment in your family’s safety.

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Locks Repair and Replacement Provide 24 Hour Services to Ontario areas including:

North York | Mississauga | Milton | Richmond Hill | Brampton | Etobicoke | Oakville | Scarborough | Vaughan | Thornhill |Cambridge | Guelph | Kitchener | Toronto | Hamilton | Waterdown | Caledonia | Burlington | Woodstock | New Hamburg | Waterloo and more..

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Vaughan Locksmith 519-489-2331

Locks Change Vaughan

Commercial Locks For Every Need

The job’s not done until the locks are on the door. A beautifully designed and quality built commercial building requires a variety of quality door locks. Careful selection should be made to install the best locks for entryways, fire doors, office doors, restrooms, utility closets and any other location within the building where access and privacy need to be controlled. Contractors should take time to discuss with the client the variety of locks available to meet their security requirements.

The exterior entrances of the building can be secured with a range of deadbolt locks.

Security needs will determine whether to use standard or heavy duty lock construction. Standard duty commercial deadbolts work well for office buildings. Heavy duty commercial deadbolts provide the best security. You should look for lock construction that includes a concealed wood frame reinforce that prevents kick-ins.

You’ll probably want to pair a cylindrical lock with a deadbolt to allow ease of entry.

Your choices include lever style locks and knob locks.

A heavy duty lever lock is suitable for hospitals, factories and even schools. Buildings with less stringent security needs may opt for standard or medium duty lever locks. Some lever locks are also UL listed for use on 3-hour fire doors. Knobs are the traditional doorknob design. These are also available in medium and heavy duty designs. Knob locks are typically reserved for interior doors of commercial buildings

Interconnected locks are an attractive choice for exterior doors of offices, hotels and light-duty commercial buildings. These locks are called interconnected because the handicapped compliant handles unlatch both the handset and the deadbolt when it’s depressed. The best interconnected locks have a reinforced deadbolt strike to prevent an intruder from kicking the door open.

Interior doors of the building can be secured with a mortise lock.

These locks are both attractive and functional. Heavy duty mortise locks are dependable and designed to withstand high-usage and abuse. This makes them ideal for hospitals and schools. When choosing mortise locks, look for designs that include a free-wheeling lever that resists force when locked.

No matter what types of locks are required in a building, most manufacturers will offer a variety of finishes that can be matched across all styles. This allows for a consistent aesthetic appeal throughout the building. Finishes typically include brass, bronze and stainless steel. Expect to pay from $40 for a simple cylindrical lock up to $300 for the finest mortise locks.

Service Areas

Locks Repair and Replacement Provide 24 Hour Services to Ontario areas including:

North York | Mississauga | Milton | Richmond Hill | Brampton | Etobicoke | Oakville | Scarborough | Vaughan | Thornhill |Cambridge | Guelph | Kitchener | Toronto | Hamilton | Waterdown | Caledonia | Burlington | Woodstock | New Hamburg | Waterloo and more..

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Mississauga Locksmith 519-489-2331

Locks Change Mississauga

Sliding Glass Door Locks – How To Make Them Highly Secure

Glass doors enable you to enjoy the view outside from your house. They bear similarly to a window in that aspect. Moreover, they can be used as functional doors or in the bathrooms for enjoying a shower. These doors are perfect for your house provided they are kept safe. Generally, safety is found to be an issue with most of these doors; however making them safer need not be a complicated problem. Although these doors are fitted with sliding glass door locks, they are not always found to be most appropriate for the doors. Also, in most homes, glass doors are arranged on the back, patio or side portions of the house, making the security of your home a huge concern.

If you use low-quality sliding glass door locks, it would be easy for burglars to break them open and enter your house since they can do the task without making much noise, thereby leaving you unaware of their presence in the house. This problem can be dealt with by using perfect and high-quality locks for glass doors. Majority of these doors come with a latch at the center which often fails to provide the required security. What you have to do to deal with this problem is to go for a model that has internal deadbolts.

These doors tend to be strong.

Installed sliding doors of glass with handles in your interior may not cause security problems; These doors will also have locks which require a replacement only if found necessary since the location of these doors is inside your home and not outside it. Some people buy substitution bars which can be extended along the complete sliding door stretch. It is very difficult to break open these doors. The materials used in the preparation of these bars are reinforced metals of high strength and duration. If you are very particular about privacy inside your house, you can use locks which require only a key to open them since there is no necessity of making them strong.

Another thing to be taken care of is the age of the lock.

If these sliding glass door locks are used for a long time; it is possible that they may break easily. If this is the case, then it is better to approach a professional blacksmith than handling the problem yourself. This is because although these may look simple, there are several things that you need to know while handling these devices, especially if you are inexperienced in handling them. Also, since these door locks are available at affordable rates, fitting them on your glass doors is easy in terms of expenditure. So, there is no need to worry about making your homes safer. You have to select good products from reputed suppliers. Don’t hesitate to spend the required amount of time in search for good locks.

Service Areas

Locks Repair and Replacement Provide 24 Hour Services to Ontario areas including:

North York | Mississauga | Milton | Richmond Hill | Brampton | Etobicoke | Oakville | Scarborough | Vaughan | Thornhill |Cambridge | Guelph | Kitchener | Toronto | Hamilton | Waterdown | Caledonia | Burlington | Woodstock | New Hamburg | Waterloo and more..

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Milton Locksmith 519-489-2331

Locks Change Milton

How To Install High Security Door Locks:

One of the most important aspects of home security are high security door locks. These locks can be found at just about any hardware store online or off line. Price may vary considerably by brand but all secure door locks have some of the basic components: solid, case-hardened steel cylinder guard, case hardened screws and a bolt that protrudes at least 1 inch from the edge of the door.

Upon purchasing your new door lock you should have noticed a template.

This template should be marked for different door thicknesses. Take the template and fold it, make sharp corners along the lines of your door size. You will then position the template about 6 inches above the existing door knob and tape it to the door. Once the template has been taped to the door take a sharp object preferably a nail and mark the bolt hole and a hole for the lock. Once your marks have been made remove the template.

Next simply close the door so that it will remain steady, using an electric drill and a hole saw slowly make the necessary hole in the door. It may be necessary to stop the drill several times as to avoid splintering the wood around the edge of the hole. Be sure once the small bit has pushed through the door go to the other side of the door and finish the hole.

Once you have made the appropriate size hole in the door you will then need to wedge it open.

Using a wood drill make the holes for the lock. Next slide the bolt assembly into the bolt hole. Make sure the bolt assembly is flush and mark the outline of the face plate. Using a chisel cut out a hole for the face plate. Be sure to chisel just enough area for the face plate. Attach the face plate and move on to the final steps.

It’s time now to insert the drive bar into its rightful place, keep in mind the drive bar may be too large so cutting may be necessary. Insert the guide bar and then the lock assembly. If the drive bar doesn’t want to turn rotate the assembly 180 degrees. If the rotation allows the drive bar to turn freely remove the lock assembly and install the retaining plate. Replace the lock assembly and using the available screws tighten your lock into place.

Service Areas

Locks Repair and Replacement Provide 24 Hour Services to Ontario areas including:

North York | Mississauga | Milton | Richmond Hill | Brampton | Etobicoke | Oakville | Scarborough | Vaughan | Thornhill |Cambridge | Guelph | Kitchener | Toronto | Hamilton | Waterdown | Caledonia | Burlington | Woodstock | New Hamburg | Waterloo and more..

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North York Locksmith 519-489-2331

Locks Change North York

What Are Security Door Locks

Well, the term high security has no precise meaning. Some manufacturers take advantage of that fact by arbitrarily using the term to promote their locks. Door locks to be considered high security locks should have features that offer more than ordinary resistance against picking, impressioning, drilling, wrenching, and other common forms of burglary. The most secure locks should also provide a high level of key control. The harder it is for any burglar or an unauthorized person to have a duplicate key made, the more security the lock provides.

Underwriters Laboratories Listing

Its always good to buy the best door locks which have UL (Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.) symbol on its packaging or on the face of the cylinder. A UL listing (based on UL standard 437) is a good indication that a door lock or cylinder offers a high degree of security.

To earn the UL listing, a lock or cylinder must meet strict construction guidelines and a sample model must pass rigorous performance and attack tests.

Here are some of its requirements:

• All working parts of the mechanism must be constructed of brass, bronze,stainless steel, or equivalent corrosion-resistant materials or have a protective finish complying with UL’s Salt Spray Corrosion test.
• Have at least 1000 key changes.
• Operate as intended during 10,000 complete cycles of operation at a rate not exceeding 50 cycles per minute.
• The lock must not open or be compromised as a result of attack tests using hammers, chisels, screwdrivers, jaw-gripping wrenches, pliers, hand-held electric drills, saws, puller mechanisms, key impressioning tools, and picking tools.

Key Control

Another important factor in lock security is key control. The most secure locks have patented key blanks that are available only from the lock manufacturer. At the next level of key control are key blanks that can be cut only on special key machines. This type of key control greatly reduces the number of places where an unauthorized person can have a key duplicated. The least secure locks use keys that can be copied at virtually any hardware or department store.

Lock and Key Patents

One feature of a high-security locks for home is that it provides a high degree of key control. That is, there is restriction on who can make a copy of the key. Such locks are used in situations where you don’t want just anybody to be able to run down to the local hardware store and make copies. One way of restricting copies is by having a patented lock or blank. That allows a lock manufacturer to decide who may copy its keys.

Service Areas

Locks Repair and Replacement Provide 24 Hour Services to Ontario areas including:

North York | Mississauga | Milton | Richmond Hill | Brampton | Etobicoke | Oakville | Scarborough | Vaughan | Thornhill |Cambridge | Guelph | Kitchener | Toronto | Hamilton | Waterdown | Caledonia | Burlington | Woodstock | New Hamburg | Waterloo and more..

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Richmond Hill Locksmith 519-489-2331

Locks Change Richmond Hill

High Security Locks, Designed With Thieves in Mind

Everyday more, the general population is becoming aware about the need to install high security locks in their home or business. Since the 1960’s the design and development of locks have continuously improved to the point at which we are today, when there is no reason to leave your properties unprotected with quasi -but-not-quite locks since a series of affordable options exist in the market, especially when considering the low amount a high quality locks represents in comparison to the potential losses generated by break-ins.

The question is, would you protect your $150,000 home with a $50 standard lock that offers no protection or with a $199 top quality option almost impossible to surpass? In half a minute when you finish reading these lines we hope that you understand why reputable locksmiths all around the country don’t feel good about installing low quality locks, although sometimes we have to do it.

For example:

• If a burglar decides to enter through a back door a steel lock has bolts that grip the door jamb with enough strength so that if it gets hit, most times a regular door will give way before the lock.
• If a lock is wrenched, a high security lock would have a solid brass collar that spins under pressure so that the wrench becomes useless.
• 3 million lock picks are sold every year in America, and not all of them fall in the right hands. A common thief can compromise a regular lock quickly enough, but in front of a high security lock the level of expertise is so elevated that the chances of a break-in are reduced 100 times fold.
• If the door is kicked the door a top quality lock would have been engineered with at least 2″ screws anchoring the strike directly to the property wall or building.
• When it’s about drilling, the best locks have specially placed steel inserts that affords them with highest possible resistance to a drill attack.
• When they use a crowbar to pry the lock the bolt itself is surrounded by heavy-gauge tubular steel that defies any crowbar attack.
• In doors that are close to windows, when they break the glass to reach for the deadbolt the top deadbolts have a thumb-turnkey that is removed when additional protection is warranted.

The list is longer but isn’t it enough to make you want to never again install a cheap lock in your house?

We certainly hope so, because one thing we know for sure is that true lock manufacturers go the extra mile to design their product with thieves mind and that can only be good for you.

Service Areas

Locks Repair and Replacement Provide 24 Hour Services to Ontario areas including:

North York | Mississauga | Milton | Richmond Hill | Brampton | Etobicoke | Oakville | Scarborough | Vaughan | Thornhill |Cambridge | Guelph | Kitchener | Toronto | Hamilton | Waterdown | Caledonia | Burlington | Woodstock | New Hamburg | Waterloo and more..

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Toronto Locksmith 519-489-2331

Locks Change Toronto

High Security Locks – Are They More Secure?

Everyone has heard the term “High Security Locks”, but what does that mean? What makes a lock high security and are they worth the extra money that you will pay for them? For this article I will discuss mechanical locks.

Let’s take a look at what makes a high security lock.

High Security Locks must be physically secure, this means that they must be made of high quality material such as hardened steel, stainless steel or boron steel. They must be able to withstand physical attacks such as drilling, prying and hammer attacks and they should have either a Grade 1 or 2 ANSI rating I discussed this in a past article. Most will be UL rated and listed.

These locks should have keys and keyways that provide “Key Control”.

This is usually accomplished by the manufacturer designing a keyway that is very unique and has a utility patent. The utility patent will describe how the key and keyway function together, it will describe how the key activates the pins or discs and if there is any other mechanism in the keyway that the key will activate. This utility patent is how the manufacturer and its distributors will control the keys. These are not keys that you can have made in a big box store, you will have to have them made by the manufacturer or its distributors and you will have to provide some identification and the original lock codes.

Here are the major points of high security locks:

• High measure of key control
• Patented key, keyway and/or lock mechanism
• Constructed of high quality materials
• Pick resistant
• Highly resistance to drilling, prying and hammer attacks

So, are these locks worth the price?

The answer to that question relates to what you are protecting. If you put a padlock on an outdoor shed then you probably do not need a high security padlock. However, if you are securing thousands of dollars of electronic equipment then yes the protection you get is worth the higher price. For businesses, hospitals and universities or colleges, high security protection should be the normal course of action.

What about your house, do you need high security locks on your house?

Again, look at what you are protecting. No, not your stuff, you are protecting your family, there is nothing more important to protect than that. So ask yourself: is your family worth the extra price that you will pay?

Service Areas

Locks Repair and Replacement Provide 24 Hour Services to Ontario areas including:

North York | Mississauga | Milton | Richmond Hill | Brampton | Etobicoke | Oakville | Scarborough | Vaughan | Thornhill |Cambridge | Guelph | Kitchener | Toronto | Hamilton | Waterdown | Caledonia | Burlington | Woodstock | New Hamburg | Waterloo and more..

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Caledonia Locksmith 519-489-2331

Locks Change Caledonia

Benefits of Keyless Door Locks

Rapid technological advancement continues to bring about complex innovations centered around simplifying our lives. We rely on expediency more than ever, and consequently expect products we buy to make our lives increasingly convenient. Today we can hardly recall our lifestyles before the advent of luxuries like cell phones, high speed internet and keyless vehicle entry. With the demand for convenience rising and keyless door locks becoming increasingly affordable, a growing number of people are upgrading to keyless door locks to protect and streamline their homes and businesses.

A keyless door lock is one that can be controlled using a combination, an access code or fingerprint recognition, eliminating the need for a key. Keyless door locks allow each person who lives at a residence to enter the home without a key, and give employees easy access to designated areas of their workplace. Lost, stolen or forgotten keys are problems of the past. For most people, the convenience of not having to toil with a key is enough, but numerous other benefits are associated with utilizing a keyless door lock.

Utilizing a keyless entry system is especially beneficial when a contract worker or house sitter needs temporary access to your home.

It is not necessary for contract workers to have a permanent key to your home, especially since key duplication is effortless. Additionally, the common practice of hiding a key outside makes your home vulnerable to burglars who know the routine.

Fingerprint recognition systems allow admittance only to those who have pre-programmed access, and many even allow you to grant access for a specified period of time. For instance, a housekeeper or contractor can be given permission in advance to enter on a certain date within a scheduled timeframe. And since fingerprints cannot be duplicated, fingerprint recognition systems have a tremendous authentication advantage over traditional door locks and even keypad locks. Similarly, access codes to keypad locks can be shared with temporary workers and then easily changed when access is no longer necessary.

A keyless door lock is also advantageous in cases where locks would otherwise need to be changed. People encounter the need to change the locks in their homes and businesses for a number of reasons, such as losing keys, theft, or to prevent entry by a former employee. Changing access codes or fingerprint permissions is much more expedient and cost effective than the process of changing all of the keyed locks in a building at once.

Keyless entry systems are no longer reserved for the elite few.

Along with more affordability, the security and convenience that keyless door locks provide are transforming them into a mainstream consumer commodity.

Service Areas

Locks Repair and Replacement Provide 24 Hour Services to Ontario areas including: Cambridge | Guelph | Kitchener | Waterloo | Hamilton | Waterdown | Caledonia | Burlington | Woodstock | New Hamburg and more..

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Waterdown Locksmith 519-489-2331

Locks Change Waterdown

T-Handles – High Security Locking System

T-Handles were first invented for use on Vending Machines. Over the years many different manufacturers have found ways to use them on a wide range of products. There are two major parts, the pop out handle and the body. The majority are made of zinc alloy. Stainless steel is used for high security applications.

The T-Handle uses a standard vending lock to secure it closed.

When the lock is opened a handle pops out, this handle is either turned to open or it is rotated, unscrewing a locking bolt. Many different manufacturers make T-Handles, they are self-contained. The manufacturer of the device or machine builds the latching devices and incorporates them into their machines. When the T-Handle is installed into the machine it is connected to the latching or locking device, this creates a complete locking system.

As stated before the T-Handle is designed to accept standard vending locks manufactured by a variety of manufacturers in a many different security levels. The lock can be changed in a matter of seconds; therefor, the security level can be changed by changing the lock. Vending Locks from Cobra, Abloy and Medeco all have locks designed to operate in T-Handles. They provide different security levels all the way up to an electronic lock.

When looking directly at the front on the T-Handle there is a round hole that the lock will go into.

The vending lock has a latch toward the end of the lock. The T-Handle has square holes toward the rear of the pop out handle. When the lock is inserted into the T-Handle the latch will pop up and go into the square hole. This secures the lock into the handle. When the handle is pushed into the T-Handle body the lock latch extends into the square holes in the body and they match up to the square holes of the handle. This action secures the handle closed into the body. As long as the handle is in the T-Handle body it cannot turn. When the lock is opened it releases the latch and the handle pops out allowing it to operate.

Besides vending machines, T-Handles are used on gas pumps, cabinets, emergency vehicles, industrial tool chests to name a few. Some manufacturers can supply both the T-Handle and a variety of locks in different security levels. It is important that the correct type of T-Handle and lock match the application for the best security.

Service Areas

Locks Repair and Replacement Provide 24 Hour Services to Ontario areas including: Cambridge | Guelph | Kitchener | Waterloo | Hamilton | Waterdown | Caledonia | Burlington | Woodstock | New Hamburg and more..

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Hamilton Locksmith 519-489-2331

Locks Change Hamilton

Broken Key in Lock

It’s a frustrating thing that luckily doesn’t happen often. But on occasion you may find that a key snaps in half while you are locking or unlocking a door or even in your car ignition.

What can you do about a broken key in a lock?

Step One – Lubricate

Spray the lock with a lubricant such as WD-40. This will make any jiggling and removal that little bit easier. Powdered graphite also works as an effective lubricant. If you don’t have a product such as these, you can use vegetable oil but be aware that this will ultimately leave a residue and if used to excess can result in the build up of unwanted grease or gunk – so be sparing if this is your only option!

Personal and family security are crucial when moving home. Having a clear strategy for any lock changing is absolutely essential. Your move may be very simple but even so, we recommend adding: ‘Changing Locks’ to your to-do list and follow this simple checklist to ensure you have taken any actions that you need.

Step Two – Manoeuvre

The next step is to get something into the lock, preferably a tool with a barbed edge so you can ‘grab’ the teeth of the key that is left in there.

You can purchase a key removal set from your local hardware store, use an extractor wire or failing that, simply use an implement such as a hacksaw blade or kitchen implement such as a pumpkin carving knife – anything with a serrated edge and that will fit.

You want to slot the jagged edge of the tool so it slots in and ‘grabs’ the jagged edge of the key.

If the key snapped while turning it is likely that the lock is in a stuck position. Try to manoeuvre the key with the implement so the barrel is in fully locked or unlocked position.

Then jiggle the implement up and down to try and edge the key out of the lock, even slightly.

Step Three – Extricate

The final tool you will need is a pair of needle nosed pliers or tweezers. They should be small and with a firm grip so you can clasp the end of the key and remove it from the lock.

Push or pull the door or surrounding area (if it is your car key in the ignition) so that there is as little pressure as possible on the lock itself (ie: so there is room for movement).

Other Methods

As an interim method you may be able to use a flat head screwdriver to work the lock.

You can also try removing the lock yourself, with a drill, so it is easier to extricate the key. But we advise against this unless you are a skilled handy person as you can damage the lock and door.

When all else fails…

Call a locksmith! 519-489-2331

Service Areas

Locks Repair and Replacement Provide 24 Hour Services to Ontario areas including: Cambridge | Guelph | Kitchener | Waterloo | Hamilton | Waterdown | Caledonia | Burlington | Woodstock | New Hamburg and more..

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