If you’re installing new doors or replacement windows in your Fair Oaks, CA home, you need to make sure they have high-quality locks. After all, you want your home to be safe! However, it’s hard to choose a good lock for your door if you don’t know how locks work. Start with the basics, and learn about the different parts of a lock, how the impact the overall mechanism and how they work in tandem with the other parts. This way you’ll be better prepared to choose good locks for your doors.

Some lock parts differ from type of lock to type of lock, but these are the most standard lock parts you’ll see most often:

• Door Frame – The doorframe is part of the lock and part of the door. The bolt moves in and out of the doorframe to lock or open the door. It’s vital to have a quality doorframe for the lock to function well. The toughest deadbolt won’t do anything at all if an intruder can simply kick a weak doorframe off the wall.
• Cylinder – This is the part of the lock where the key goes. The key has to fit the cylinder correctly to open the lock. The cylinder has spring-loaded pins that move when the key is turned. When you insert the correct key into a cylinder, these pins move out to push the bolt open.
• Key – You can’t have a lock without a key or combination to turn the cylinder and open the bolt.
• Bolts – The bolt, or latch, moves in and out to lock or open the door. It rests in the carved-out part of the doorframe to keep the door locked when closed. There are two main kinds of bolts:

A deadbolt is a bolt that you have to lock manually. They have a cylinder that can only be opened or closed with a key. Deadbolts are usually thicker and safer than other bolt types and are therefore used on entry doors and exterior doors for added security.

Spring bolts are smaller bolts that are held in place by small clips. When the key or a turned knob move the cylinder pins, the clip compresses to release the spring bolt and lock the door. The act of closing the door can also cause the spring to release, automatically locking the door behind you when you close it. This kind of spring bolt is what you find on a hotel door. Spring bolts are a good idea if you have trouble forgetting to lock your door.

• Strike Plate – The strike place is where the lock attaches to the doorframe to hold the door in position when locked. Often a simple metal piece, strike plates are easy to replace if damaged.

The Window and Door Shop, Inc. is here to help if you have more questions about locks, or want to learn more about Fair Oaks, CA replacement windows. You can visit us or give us a call for more information.