Locks Made Simple – Everything you need to know about your lock

Abbey Locks have been providing locksmith services to customers in the St. Albans, North London and the Hertfordshire area for over 20 years. One of the most asked questions is ‘How do I know what type of lock I have?’ and it’s a good question! You’ll want to know what kind of lock you have should you need a replacement, or to know how to best protect your home against thieves and burglars.

If you want to properly identify the kind of lock you have, you can always call a reliable locksmith to have a look for you. While they’re there, it’s always a good idea to have them check the structural integrity of your locks and make sure they’re working properly. 

However, if you’d rather have a go at identifying your locks yourself, we’ve made a list of the most commonly used locks on the market and ways that will help you identify them.

There are a vast number of different locks available on the market, ranging from traditional locks to smart lock and key technology. In this list of locks made simple, we’re going to be focusing on the most commonly seen traditional locks.

5 Lever Mortice Deadlock

5 Lever Mortice Deadlocks are most commonly fitted to wooden doors; they can be locked from both inside and outside the property with a key and are fitted within the material of the door, as appose to on the surface. 

5 Lever Mortice Deadlocks on external doors should conform to BS3621 as this is the standard that most insurance companies now require.

What is BS3621?

Another good question! BS3621is a lock standard set out by the British Standards Institute. Locks that conform to BS3621 have been tested against common techniques deployed by burglars (i.e. picking and drilling).

How do I know if my lock is British Standard Approved?

Simply look for this logo and the BS3621 code engraved on the faceplate of the lock.

Mortice Sashlock

Mortice Sash locks are very similar to deadlocks but have the addition of a latch, operated by a handle. This enables the door to remain closed without being locked.

Mortice sash locks are most commonly fitted to wooden doors; they can be locked from both inside and outside the property with a key and are fitted within the material of the door, as with mortice deadlocks.

Nightlatch

Nightlatches, sometimes referred to as deadlatches or yale locks, will usually be in place alongside a mortice deadlock (as outlined above). A standard nightlatch will not, or at least it should not, be the only lock on the door.

Nightlatches are most commonly fitted to wooden doors. Fitted on the internal surface of the door with the key operated rim cylinder on the outside, they normally lock automatically when door is pulled shut and unlocked with a key from outside and a handle on the inside. 

Rim Cylinder

No long explanation needed here – a Rim Cylinder is simply the part of a nightlatch, in which you put your key! 

Multi-Point Locking System

Multi-point locking systems are most commonly fitted to UPVC and composite doors but can also be found on French patio doors, aluminium and timber doors.

The system is fitted within the door surround; when locked, multiple bolts will engage from the side of the door into the door frame. The mechanism is most commonly operated by a Euro cylinder lock.

Euro Cylinder

Euro cylinders are most commonly found on UPVC and Composite doors and are the operating element of a multi-point locking system, as described above.

Euro cylinders can be locked/unlocked from the outside using a key. Some Euro cylinders can also be locked from the inside with a key whilst others feature a ‘thumb turn’, or a small knob which is turned to lock the door from the inside.

We understand that it can be confusing trying to identify which lock you may have, if you are still unsure, take a picture of your lock and send it to us when requesting a quote – this will give us a clearer idea of what you have in place and how much it will be for a replacement.