Locks and all; why you need a good door lock for home insurance security
24th January 2012
There are various different ways of protecting your property. Some people have burglar alarms or high tech security systems and some have guard dogs. Whichever way you choose to protect your property though, it is worth considering the importance of the locks.
Whilst you use your front door every day without sparing a thought for home security, it is largely what separates you from intruders and criminals.
Your letter box, for example, can be used by a criminal to extract goods from within close proximity to the door. There is, in actual fact, an established British Standard of which all letter places and boxes should conform to.
They should be positioned no closer than 400 mm from the door lock and never to the bottom rail of the door. You could secure an internal cover plate for extra protection or a letter basket. However, you may want to open the bottom, allowing the mail to fall so it cannot be stolen.
According to the Metropolitan Police, ‘quality locks are only as strong as the doors and frames to which they are attached.’ Therefore, it could also be important to consider your choice of door before fitting a new lock. For example, a wooden hollow core door could be the most suitable for your specific property.
The Met also advise homeowners to fit a spy hole and door chain or limiter, for extra security. This allows you to deal with unwanted and suspicious callers to your front door whilst retaining a high level of security.
A rim latch or Yale type of lock is not sufficient on its own and the door should be fitted with a 5 lever mortice deadlock. However, most home insurance providers will accept a rim automatic deadlock.
It could be advisable to check with your home insurance provider to see if your door is fully secure to their standards. It might also be worth reviewing any windows, patio doors and back doors as different locks may be required.
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