Door Lock Types

A guide to understanding the different types of door locks available for your door configuration. Features, benefits, and typical uses for sash locks, deadlocks, panic locks, and code locks to help you make an informed decision

Understanding Door Lock Types

A Guide to Choosing the Right Lock for your Door

Choosing the right lock for your door is crucial for ensuring the security and functionality of your entrance. With a variety of lock types available, each designed to meet specific security needs, it can be challenging to determine which one is best suited for your situation. In this guide, we will explore the features, benefits, and typical applications of four common lock types: sash locks, deadlocks, panic locks, and code locks. By understanding the differences and advantages of each, you can make an informed decision that enhances the safety and convenience of your home or business.

Sash Locks

What is a Sash Lock?

Description: A sash lock combines the features of a deadbolt and a latch, allowing the door to be locked and latched shut.
Components: Includes a handle, latch, and key-operated deadbolt.
Operation: The latch is operated by the handle, while the deadbolt is operated by the key.
Uses: Commonly used on internal doors for added security and functionality.

Benefits:

Dual locking mechanism enhances security.
Convenient for doors that require frequent access.

Typical Uses for Sash Locks

Residential Properties:

Internal Doors: Ideal for rooms within the home that require moderate security, such as bedrooms or home offices.
Front and Back Doors: Provides a combination of a latch and deadbolt, offering enhanced security and functionality for main entry points.

Commercial Properties:

Office Doors: Used for internal office doors to secure sensitive areas while allowing easy access for employees.
Restrooms and Private Areas: Applied on doors that need to be locked from the inside for privacy.

Mixed-Use Buildings:

Apartment Entrances: Commonly used on doors leading into individual apartments within a larger building, offering a balance of security and convenience.
Storage Rooms: Suitable for securing storage rooms that require access by multiple people.

Educational Institutions:

Classrooms and Offices: Used in schools and universities for securing classrooms and administrative offices, ensuring both security and accessibility.

Healthcare Facilities:

Patient Rooms: Applied to doors of patient rooms in hospitals and clinics, providing secure yet accessible entry.
Staff Areas: Used on doors leading to staff-only areas to maintain security while allowing easy access for authorised personnel.

Sash locks are versatile and widely used in situations where a balance of security and ease of access is needed. Their dual locking mechanism, combining a latch and deadbolt, makes them suitable for a variety of applications in both residential and commercial settings.

Deadlocks

What is a Deadlock?

Description: A deadlock is a straightforward locking mechanism operated by a key that offers a high level of security.
Components: Typically includes a key-operated bolt that inserts into the door frame.
Operation: The lock is engaged or disengaged by turning the key in the lock.

Benefits:

High security as the lock cannot be easily picked or manipulated.
Simple and robust design.

Typical Uses for Deadlocks

Residential Properties:

Front and Back Doors: Deadlocks provide a high level of security for main entry points, making it difficult for intruders to gain access.
External Gates: Often used on garden or driveway gates to secure the property perimeter.

Commercial Properties:

Office Entrances: Used on office doors to protect sensitive information and equipment.
Storage Rooms: Ideal for securing rooms that contain valuable or confidential items.

High-Security Areas:

Banks and Financial Institutions: Used on doors that need enhanced security to protect assets.
Government Buildings: Applied on doors where high security is essential to protect sensitive information and areas.

Rental Properties:

Tenant Security: Provides an additional layer of security for tenants, ensuring that doors cannot be easily breached.

Construction Sites:

Temporary Offices and Containers: Used to secure portable buildings and storage containers on construction sites.

Deadlocks are favoured for their robustness and ability to provide a secure locking mechanism that cannot be easily picked or forced open, making them suitable for a wide range of high-security applications.

Panic Locks

What is a Panic Lock?

Description: Panic locks are designed for emergency exit doors, allowing quick and easy egress.
Components: Usually includes a push bar or touch bar that releases the locking mechanism.
Operation: Engages the lock when the door is closed and allows it to open immediately when the bar is pushed.

Benefits:

Ensures safety by providing a quick escape route during emergencies.
Complies with safety regulations for public buildings.

Typical Uses for Panic Locks

Commercial Properties:

Emergency Exits: Panic locks are essential for exit doors in commercial buildings, ensuring quick and easy evacuation during emergencies.
Office Buildings: Used on emergency exit doors to comply with safety regulations and facilitate rapid egress.

Educational Institutions:

Schools and Universities: Applied to doors in schools and universities, particularly in areas with high foot traffic, to ensure safe evacuation during emergencies.
Gymnasiums and Auditoriums: Used on exit doors in large spaces to manage crowd flow efficiently in case of an emergency.

Healthcare Facilities:

Hospitals and Clinics: Installed on exit doors to ensure patients, staff, and visitors can quickly and safely evacuate the building in emergencies.
Nursing Homes: Used on doors to secure exits while allowing easy access for residents and staff during evacuations.

Public Buildings:

Government Buildings: Required for emergency exits in government facilities to ensure public safety.
Libraries and Museums: Applied to exits to manage the safe evacuation of visitors and staff.

Entertainment Venues:

Theatres and Concert Halls: Used on doors to ensure the safe and efficient evacuation of large crowds during emergencies.
Stadiums and Arenas: Installed on exit doors to facilitate quick evacuation during events.

Retail Spaces:

Shopping Malls and Stores: Applied to emergency exits in retail environments to ensure customer and staff safety.
Supermarkets: Used on doors to provide quick egress during emergencies.

Panic locks are designed to ensure safety by allowing quick and easy exit from buildings during emergencies. They are an essential component of safety protocols in various settings, ensuring compliance with safety regulations and providing peace of mind for building occupants.

Code Locks

What is a Code Lock?

Description: Code locks use a numerical or alphanumeric keypad instead of a traditional key to unlock the door.
Components: Includes a keypad and an electronic or mechanical locking mechanism.
Operation: The correct code must be entered to unlock the door.

Benefits:

Keyless entry enhances convenience and security.
Eliminates the need for physical keys, reducing the risk of lost or stolen keys.

Typical Uses for Code Locks

Commercial Properties:

Office Buildings: Code locks are ideal for securing offices, meeting rooms, and other restricted areas. They provide easy access for employees while maintaining security.
Server Rooms: Used to secure server rooms and IT infrastructure, ensuring that only authorized personnel can access sensitive equipment.

Educational Institutions:

Schools and Universities: Applied to secure classrooms, labs, and administrative offices. Code locks offer a convenient way for staff and students to access secured areas without the need for keys.
Dormitories: Used on dormitory doors to provide secure access for residents, allowing them to enter using a code rather than a key.

Healthcare Facilities:

Hospitals and Clinics: Used to secure medication rooms, patient records, and staff-only areas, ensuring that sensitive information and equipment are protected.
Nursing Homes: Applied to staff areas and supply rooms to control access and ensure the safety and security of residents and staff.

Residential Properties:

Apartments: Code locks provide a secure and convenient entry solution for apartment buildings, eliminating the need for physical keys.
Private Homes: Used on front and back doors to offer homeowners a keyless entry option that enhances security and convenience.

Hospitality Industry:

Hotels and Resorts: Installed on guest room doors, code locks provide a secure and user-friendly entry system for guests.
Conference Centers: Used to secure meeting rooms and event spaces, allowing easy access for attendees while maintaining security.

Retail Spaces:

Stores and Boutiques: Applied to staff areas, stock rooms, and cash offices to control access and enhance security.
Shopping Malls: Used on maintenance and service areas to restrict access to authorized personnel only.

Government Buildings:

Offices and Facilities: Code locks secure sensitive areas, ensuring that only authorized employees can gain access.
Public Buildings: Used to control access to restricted areas, enhancing overall security.

Code locks offer the advantage of keyless entry, which enhances security and convenience across a wide range of applications. Their versatility and ease of use make them suitable for many different environments, providing a reliable solution for access control.