When it comes to securing our homes, we tend to think of extravagant steps like security lights, alarm systems and cameras. But the first step when it comes to home security is your front door lock.
Your insurance provider will want details about your home’s external door locks. Having the right type of lock can make a difference to your premium. Here, we run through the most common types of locks. There are three main types of door locks.
Five-lever mortice deadlock
This is the most common type of door lock, usually found in the lower half of timber doors. It has a long back door type key and it is lockable from inside or outside offering medium-level security. A BS 3621 mortice deadlock is more secure. It has a larger, reinforced deadbolt and the casing around the lock is drill proof. Most doors with a mortice deadlock will have a night latch higher up the door.
Key-operated multi-point locking system
This type of lock is most often found on uPVC external doors, including front, back and patio doors. It has a single lock, usually with a handle. Turning the key engages a series of locks around the frame of the door. This bolts the door into the doorframe and offers a high level of security.
To operate most multi-point locking systems, lift up the door handle and turn the key. It is common that these doors can only open from the outside with a key, even when unlocked. If you have sliding patio doors with a multipoint locking system, you may need to add an anti-lift device. This will stop intruders lifting the doors off their rails.
Rim automatic deadlatch
The main different between a rim lock and a mortice lock is that a rim lock is on a mount on the door while a mortice lock sits in a hole or pocket inside the door. Most people will have seen rim locks in the night latch form, where the lock engages as soon as the door shuts.
You then have to use a key to open it from the outside or the latch to open it from the inside. Most also have a button that slides up or down to lock the night latch. This prevents it from opening from the outside, even with a key. Intruders can circumvent these locks by breaking a window beside the door. The
intruder then reaches around to open the latch from the inside.
With a deadlatch, the lock engages when the door closes, as with the night latch. But by turning the key from the outside, the door is
now locked and can’t open from the inside or outside without the key
At 123.ie & Intact Insurance Ireland, we believe insurance is about people, not things. We’re here to help people, businesses and communities prosper in good times and stay resilient when challenges arise. It’s what drives everything we do. We make insurance work better.
We believe how we do this matters. We’re honest and open in everything we do. We listen, to understand exactly what you need. We will go the extra mile to help. We’re always improving, delivering better outcomes. And we believe in giving back, to make our communities stronger. Our extensive range of commercial and personal insurance products comes through our network of trusted brokers and partners who know your world inside out. No complicated jargon. No hidden surprises.
Just clear, straightforward protection for what matters most to you. Our insurance experts don’t just understand policies, they understand your world, your
business and what matters most to you .From our offices across Ireland - Dublin, Galway and Belfast, we’re building solutions that will give you peace of mind.
Being part of Intact Financial Corporation, one of Canada’s largest insurers, means we can deliver the kind of service you expect, with a personal touch.
