It's all very well to install one of the many types of locks... some are great, some are good and some are just plain cheap, nasty and useless locks. Some locks are great for some jobs and useless for others so you must chose the right lock for the right job.
Equally importantly, the door (or window) the lock is fitted to needs to be suitable for the lock to do the job it is meant to do.
There are times when the door or hinges are not suitable, for example the door may have started to delaminate (the facing is starting to peel off) due to the effect of the elements particularly sun and rain.
A door that looks like it's about to fall apart is a great target for attack. It's an open invitation to any burglar.
The door frame that holds the door and lock needs to be in good condition. Not rotten and poorly fixed to the structure. We often find door frames that are damaged or starting to rot away, and move around due to poor attachment to the wall frame or brickwork. They're another great invitation for evil doers with virtually “open sesame” appeal.
All of these need to be checked along with the framework or brick work into which the door frame is fixed.
Because I was invited to teach these concepts to tradesmen and apprentices it comes naturally to me to look at all of these things that protect your home or business as a total package. It's not just a matter of checking the lock only. All of my team members are taught the same rigorous techniques too.
We make sure we check your security package every time.
In fact, to some Locksmiths this comes naturally, others need lots of training to recognise and grasp these concepts but sadly a lot of people have no idea and don't care.
The majority install locks but don't know what's happening around the lock.
You've got to make sure your locksmith asks...
- Are the hinges good, are the hinges starting to rust, have they become loose?
- Is the door starting to drop and the lock starting to jam or scrape?
- What caused the lock to fail?
All these factors need to be considered when installing a chosen lock. Repairing a lock is not just about fixing the lock, but it's about re-establishing the security envelope around your home or business
Because very often a lock repair relates to whether the door has moved or the house has moved or the building has moved. These things are all to be considered.
A prime example is the drought we are currently experiencing. Things are happening to doors everywhere, when the rain returns – (some doors have been adjusted to suit drought conditions) they will need to be readjusted again. This drought has gone on for so long, some think this is normal weather conditions.
Remember
The lock is only as good as the door it goes into
The door is only as good as the frame it goes into
The frame is only as good as the structure it goes into.
The security is only as good as the expert who looks at the overall picture.