How to Choose the Right Lock for Your Home

People ask me this more than almost anything else. Walk into a hardware store and there are forty different locks on the wall. They all look like they do roughly the same thing. They do not.

The main thing to understand is the ANSI/BHMA grading system. Grade 1 is commercial-grade, Grade 2 is heavy residential, Grade 3 is the cheap stuff. That Grade 3 knob lock on most rental units? It is not going to stop anyone who actually wants in. For exterior doors, Grade 1 deadbolt minimum.

Deadbolts versus knob locks — this one matters. A knob lock by itself can be defeated with a wrench. A deadbolt extends a solid bolt into the door frame. Use both on exterior doors, but the deadbolt is doing the real work.

Smart locks are worth it for a lot of people. Keyless entry, temporary codes for housekeepers or contractors, a log of who came and went — genuinely useful, especially in vacation rental areas like Davenport where you are managing access remotely. The one thing: make sure it has a key cylinder backup. Batteries die at the worst times.

On brands: Schlage, Kwikset, Yale, Medeco. All solid. The difference between Kwikset and Medeco is mostly pick resistance and price. For most homes around here, a Schlage Grade 1 deadbolt hits the right balance. If you want the best and do not mind paying for it, go Medeco.

If you are not sure what you have or what you need, I will take a look when I am out. Takes five minutes and costs nothing extra.