Options for Locking the Interior Side of Doors
- Door LockA hotel room door lock and key. image by Vitaliy Pakhnyushchyy from Fotolia.com
Burglaries happen everyday, and most times it's because of a lack of home security. A simple doorknob lock is not enough. If you really want to protect yourself, your family and your belongings, you need to be locking your home from the inside. There are a few options for doing so. - The best and most secure way to lock your home from the inside is by using a single-sided deadbolt. This is a kind of lock that is only accessible from the inside and unseen on the exterior. They can be purchased in hardware stores or home improvement stores such as Lowe's and Home Depot and cost roughly $25 to $50. Single-sided deadbolts are available with a thumb-turn or key lock option. Key locks are considered to offer more security against perpetrators, especially in doors with glass. A thumb-turn can be unlocked by the burglar breaking the glass and turning the lock. Key locks are a violation in some states due to safety concerns of those locked inside the house. In the event of a fire or other emergency, people can become trapped inside the home if a key is not immediately available. If you are considering a key-lock deadbolt, check into your local building codes to find out if they are permitted in your area.
- Chain and swing bar door locks are a good idea for being used as added safety with other types of locks such as deadbolts. They should not, however, be relied upon as the main source of home security. Bar locks offer a little more security than a chain lock because they are harder to break. You may have seen the bar style lock in hotels. Most older homes are already equipped with chain locks. If you are interested in installing one in your home, they can be purchased at local hardware stores and home improvement stores such as Lowe's and Home Depot and cost between $6 and $10.
- Surface slide bolts are another good option for locking the interior side of a door. Some surface bolts are installed vertically to go into the floor or ceiling, while others are attached horizontally to the wall and door and slide from side to side. Whichever you choose is a matter of preference as neither is considered more secure than the other. These can be purchased in local hardware stores and home improvement stores such as Home Depot and Lowe's. They cost between $10 and $30.
