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Cylinders

Cylinders

Are you are locked out? Have lost your keys? Had the misfortune to be burgled. Or simply need a locksmith to replace your existing cylinders to British Standard.  ACQ Locksmiths Ltd can help.

The fitting of door locks, window locks and other forms of additional security will help to keep burglars out.  In 20% of burglaries thieves gain entry through open doors and windows. So not only do you want the fitting of good, strong locks but you should make sure your doors and windows remain secured

In Winchester and the surrounding area ACQ provide a professional installation, door opening, lock repair, fitting and replacement service.  All types of doors and windows, including garages, domestic roller-shutters and fire escapes are catered for.

Door Locks

Two in three burglars gain access through a door. The following descriptions may help in understanding the difference between the most common domestic door locks and help identify the most suitable locks for your property.

Mortice Locks

The Home Office recommends fitting five-lever mortise deadlocks (British Standard BS3621:2004) to all external doors. Many insurance companies require this as a minimum standard.

Mortice locks are embedded into the door itself and can only be opened with the key. They are commonly found on back doors and are often fitted to front doors in addition to a cylinder rim lock.

Mortice locks can often be described as a deadlock or sashlock. A deadlock is a mortice lock which has just a key hole and a bolt. A sashlock has a bolt and a latch and a pair of handles.

Mortice locks have several lever variations: a 2, 3, 5 or 7 lever mechanism. 5 lever and above can be British Standard or non British Standard. The higher the number of "levers" the more difficult the lock is to "pick" and the more secure it will be, the more levers in the lock the more key variations there are eliminating duplicate keys.

ACQ Locksmiths Ltd recommend all locks should be upgraded and replaced with 5-lever locks, tested to BS3621:2004, which can be identified by the British Standard Kitemark symbol. This is usually a minimum insurance requirement.

Mortice locks require a key to be turned to activate the deadlock. The major advantage of a mortice lock is that burglars can not smash an adjacent window, reach inside and unlock the door. The deadlocks also mean that if a burglar breaks in through a window they can not escape through the door. This is  providing you have not left the key in the lock on the inside.

Cylinder Rim Locks (Yale Locks)

Most front door locks and internal door locks are cylinder locks, commonly known as ‘Yale’ locks, after one of the leading brands. If your front door locks automatically when you shut it and you need a key to open the door from the outside.  It opens without a key from the inside, then you have a cylinder rim lock (Yale lock).

ACQ Locksmiths Ltd will always replace cylinders with lock cylinders of at least equal quality, preferring to upgrade to a more secure high quality lock where necessary. In instances where keys have been lost or stolen, we would only change the cylinder of the lock.

Cylinder rim locks are fitted to the surface of the door and are mounted on the surface of the inside of the door with a connecting cylinder. They are fitted into the door with the keyhole on the outside.

Restricted cylinders provide physical protection against unauthorised key duplication.  They ensure extra security to your property. Restricted keys guarantee keys can only be cut with the authorization of the owner usually within a security card system.

ACQ recommended the fitting of mortice locks to supplement cylinder rim locks, particularly on front doors.

Additional Door Security

ACQ Locksmiths Ltd can also fit additional security such as door chains or bars.

Locksmith lock

Anti snap, anti drill, anti bump, anti pick

Window Locks

One in three burglaries are through a window.  Consider fitting high visibility window locks. If a burglar breaks the glass the window locks will mean they still cannot open the window. He will have to risk injury climbing in through broken glass.

Window locks should be fitted to easily accessible windows. Ie, ground floor windows and next to flat roofs and drain pipes  Remember not to leave the keys on show in the window locks.

ACQ can help with everything from simply opening the door to your house to upgrading and replacement of locks.