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Locksmiths | 3 Types of Deadbolt Locks for Your Front Door

11 December 2015

Lumi Perala

For most homeowners, security is top priority when choosing a door lock because it protects your family from any unwanted safety risks. On exterior front doors, deadbolt locks are typically popular thanks to their durability and resilience. Usually installed by locksmiths, the deadbolt mechanism only opens when the lock cylinder rotates, making it a more secure choice than a spring bolt lock for residential doors. This guide is designed to help you understand the basic differences between three types of deadbolt locks for your front door.

Single-Cylinder Deadbolt Lock

The single cylinder is a popular deadbolt design used for residential exterior doors. The lock uses a key operated on the exterior access point to the cylinder, most popularly known as the keyhole. The single cylinder also unlocks or locks via an interior handle. The single-cylinder deadbolt lock design is perhaps most common because it adds a layer of security to most types of doors without much trouble. Most locksmiths will be able to install single-cylinder deadbolt locks for doors. This type of locking system alone may be vulnerable, so many homeowners prefer to supplement it with other locking systems. For example, single-cylinder locks work well with rim-latch locks, padlocks and lever-handle locks to robustly fortify front doors. 

Double-Cylinder Deadbolt Lock

The double cylinder is another deadbolt lock design. It is similar to the single cylinder because it is also operated with a key. The main difference is that it requires a key on both sides of the cylinder in order to lock or unlock. This means that a homeowner will require a key to open the double-cylinder deadbolt lock from inside the home. In the event of a fire or emergency, this could be a challenge. Most locksmiths recommend that a key be left inside the door when homeowners are inside to to allow for a safe exit in the event of an emergency. This lock is ideal when you want to fortify your door's security from both sides.

Keyless-Entry Deadbolt Lock

The keyless-entry deadbolt lock opens without the use of a key because they come with alphanumeric keypads. This enables the owner to enter a code for locking or unlocking the deadbolt. You can choose between electronic and mechanical configurations for operating keyless-entry deadbolt locks. Electronically configured keyless-deadbolt locks often have features like operation via remote device and audio/video indicators of the lock status. Most keyless-deadbolt locks have a key-operated manual override in case of an emergency or malfunction. This lock is ideal for homeowners looking for a more sophisticated locking system because coded locks are harder to break through.

Depending on your preferences for your home, you can get locksmiths to install these types of deadbolt locks for your front door.

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