In this blog entry, the Raleigh residential security and Raleigh lock installations service yea here at Locksmith Knight Raleigh will detail some of the best ways to improve the security of your apartment door lock.
Can I change my apartment door lock?
If you rent your apartment, you’ll probably have to check iht your landlord and lease before changing your lock. Some management companies and landlords can let you change locks, but many prohibit it since they have a master key system in place to easily access apartments for maintenance or emergencies. Also, sometimes local or State laws prevent individual people changing their locks by themselves. Contact your landlord to ask.
Improving the Security of Your Apartment Door Lock
The three main door lock types used in apartments are deadbolts, door knob locks, and mortise locks. Deadbolts are the most popular and reliable form of apartment door lock. Mortise locks are the second most reliable, and consist of a few parts that latch together in a pocket cut directly into the door. Door knob locks offer the least amount of security.
Choosing the Best Door Lock
Deadbolts are the best loc for your apartment since they don’t have springs or pins that burglars can pick. Deadbolts are made of a cylinder bolt that extends directly into the wall and only can unlock when a mechanism retracts the bolt. Choose between a standard single cylinder deadbolt, double cylinders that have bolts on both sides of the door, a one sided exterior trim deadbolt for odors that can’t be opened from the outside like the backdoors of a restaurant or business, or a zero trim one sided cylinder identical to the last deadbolt tye, except having a deadbolt thats fully invisible front he exterior. Choose a Grade 1 security deadbolt, the higher security grade.
Reinforcing Apartment Doors
Consider reinforcing your apartment door. A strong lock wont do much for security if the door itself is weak and damaged. Even if you don’t want to fully replace your door, you can reinforce the door by replacing screws with long set vres of at least 9 inches in length, reinforcing all door jambs, and adding a security grate or screen.
Consider that many apartments have been standing for a long time, making they likely have shoddy and outdated security. Contact your landlord to heal potential options for improving security. If it’s all up to you, make sure that you can do everything you can to improve the safety and security integrity of both the door itself as well as it’s lock.
