Different door locks are essential for safety and security like no other tool or appliance. Locks protect your office and home from intruders while still being practical, for example, only using a passcode or key to lock or open them. When searching out locks for your property, consider buying a high-security lock that negates most burglar bypass techniques. 

Burglars attack homes more than businesses every year, so understanding the significant differences between the kinds of locks will assist you in making a better decision. In addition, a locksmith in Miami-Dade County can help you make a more informed decision if you don’t know which lock to install in your home or business. 

Check our guide on 7 different locks, their best applications, their security, and much more. 

1. Knob Door Locks 

Knob locks are the most common and can provide low-level security for most doors. The lock cylinder is situated in the knob rather than the entryway. Therefore, don’t use knob locks on exterior doors, as intruders can attack them with devices like a sledgehammer or wrench. 

However, you can use knob locks in your interior and office doors for better functionality. Or, if you do like your knob lock, then consider installing a complementary single-cylinder deadbolt lock.   

2. Cam Locks 

You can find cam locks securing file cabinets, lockers, mailboxes, and other low-level devices. The cam lock requires a key to turn a cam, which locks and opens it. Cam locks can be either tubular or flat and need similar keys to open them. 

3. Deadbolt Door Lock Types 

Deadbolt locks bring a different mechanism than the standard door handle or knobs providing an extra layer of security to your property. Many professional locksmiths recommend using both a door handle lock and a deadbolt on their doorways to prevent burglary. 

Deadbolts can significantly reduce the efficiency of forced entry attacks. In addition, they can create a secure lock system that makes it difficult for an intruder to break through the door. Deadbolts can come in variations, both single and double cylinder designs. 

Double-cylinder locks offer more protection to a door that has a window next to it. At the same time, a double-cylinder lock is not recommended for a business since people will need to find the key to exit during an emergency.

I have a single-cylinder bump-proof deadbolt lock beside a handle lock on my residential home, and I feel secure. 

4. Padlocks

Padlocks are not door locks but can come in handy in free-standing applications. Unlike other lock types, they are not permanently attached to a door or anything that utilizes it. Padlocks arrive in many models, including keyed, combination, and with today’s modern digital technology. Keyed padlocks come in many variations like keyed alike, keyed differently, and keyable. 

Because of their mobile applications and looped handle shackle shape, you can recognize padlocks. Some bring a shouldered shackle; the padlock shoulders raise the sides of the shackle to prevent bolt cutters from cutting through it. 

5. Mortise Door Locks 

Homeowners can install the mortise lock on their outside entryways. You can also find mortise locks in both light and robust models. They bring an internal system that makes them like a lockset rather than simple door locks. Mortise locks can house levers and knobs and usually come in cylindrical bodies. 

They are threaded and use mortise parts added inside the door. Mortise locks stay secure by utilizing a cam and a set screw which makes the locking system. The cylinder part comes in many heights and lengths for various doors. 

6. Electronic Locks 

Electronic locks don’t need physical keys to lock and open them. Instead, they have a keypad or card system in which you can use a unique passcode, card, or key to open the lock. Often, electronic locks can close doors automatically or remotely. You can find electronic locks in hotels, schools, offices, and government buildings. 

Many electronic locks bring a combination key system that allows users to use a regular key if they fail to remember their code or card key. Plus, these locks bring batteries that will usually last at least a year or more. 

Some electronic locks can work remotely, so you can open or lock the door using a smartphone or computer when you are far away from home. 

7. Child-Proof Door Locks

Adults can use child-proof locks on a few doors inside the home to keep the toddler’s fingers out. These locks aren’t for security but for the safety of small kids who could hurt themselves by getting into a refrigerator, cupboards, or other things in the kitchen.