• Deadlock and deadbolt installs • Deadlocks rekeyed
• High security locks residential and commercial
When investing in a deadlock or deadbolt it is important to select a product from a quality manufacturer of locks, one such company is Lockwood. Lockwood produces several iterations of the deadlock and deadbolt, their flagship deadbolt being the 355. It’s versatile in that it can be installed to sliding doors as well as hinged doors. Firstly the main point of differentiation between the 355 and other manufacturers deadbolts is that it uses positive locking. This means that the key needs to be turned a full 360 degrees before it can be taken out, this ensures deadlocking occurs, unlike other brands where the key can be taken out prior to the bolt having deadlocked. Without relying on positive locking it’s possible that the bolt, although thrown, may not have been thrown the full extent, leaving it vulnerable to being pried back. Another benefit of the 355 is the bolt and strike design. Compared to other deadbolts that only throw a single bolt directly into the frame, the 355 relies on a strike that requires several screws to affix it sturdily to the frame. The bolt throws into the strike rather than into the frame and because of the strikes multiple fixing points this lock offers greater resistance to brute force attacks. The 355 deadlock is suitable for wooden and metal doorframes, although we recommend longer screws be used for wooden frames than those supplied.
A clever burglary resistant internal turn knob uses an inbuilt clutching mechanism that spins when excessive force is applied to it, channeling the full destructive force away from the locking lugs, this limits damage that would otherwise be caused to the lock and also renders wrench attack ineffective. Remember it is important to deadlock your 355 from the inside before going out, otherwise the security benefits of the lock are useless, (assuming the intruder had entered from another door or window). In conjunction with a metal frame and solid core door these locks offer the best level of protection compared to other deadbolts. To further hinder an intruder from opening this door once on the inside (assuming the lock is deadlocked) are the concealed fixing points. Even if the intruder wanted to unscrew it from the door, it would not be possible, as concealed fixing requires the door to be unlocked before the screws are revealed.
These locks also run off a keyway that is compatible with 90% of household locks so they can be keyed alike to sliding doors, patio bolts and even window locks. Note it may be necessary to replace existing window locks to achieve compatibility as old window locks use a different broaching. The cyl4 range of window locks from Whitco includes a compatible keyway. They make a lock to suit virtually every window including sliding, casement and hopper.
“We just moved house and the new place didn’t have key lockable window locks. We needed lockable ones to qualify for home and contents insurance so we called Nexus locksmiths who provided us with a quote free of charge. Their service included a survey of our home, which took into account all potential entry points including the rear aluminium sliding doors, to which they recommended we should install patio bolts to. We accepted their quote and had all the necessary locks installed the following day, thankfully the window locks work off the same key as our other doors, making it very convenient deadlock our home.”
James K.