Biometric Door Lock

Deadbolt locks are the key to your front doors security. The standard door knob with a lock is too easy to defeat. When it comes time to replace an existing deadbolt or add a deadbolt to your door, you have many choices. So how do you choose the right one? This article will give you the information you need to choose.

The first type of deadbolt is a single cylinder deadbolt. These locks have a key cylinder on only one side of the lock. On the other side you will have a knob. The advantage of this type of lock is that you do not need a key to open it from the inside. The disadvantage is that if you have a door with glass or a window next to your door, a thief would only have to break the glass to reach the lock and gain entry to your home.

The next type of lock is the double cylinder deadbolt. This lock will have a keyed cylinder on each side of the lock. There is no knob and you must have a key to open it. The advantage of this type of lock is that it is more secure than a single cylinder one. It is also nice if you have small children in your home as they would be unable to open a door without the key. The disadvantage is that it can be difficult to open in an emergency. If you cannot find the key, you cannot get out.

The last type of deadbolt i will discuss is the keyless deadbolt. These can be operated in one of several ways. They can be operated by remote control, by a keypad or by a fingerprint reader. The advantage to these is that you can gain entry into your home quickly. The disadvantage is that they are expensive and may not be best for those who are not tech savvy.

These are the basic types of deadbolts. The choice is up to you but before you decide, be sure to check local building codes. Some may not allow for certain lock types under certain situations. Do your research and find the lock that is best for you.

A Fingerprint Door Lock, is it for you? Your Top 8 Questions Answered!

Are fingerprint door locks affordable?
Fingerprint door locks are the latest, coolest technology that allow ordinary people the ability to open doors with their fingers. Finally, our world has caught up with Star Trek and this technology is currently reliable and affordable. A few years ago fingerprint locks were extremely expensive, not very reliable and only seen on CEO's homes and those rockstars mansions on MTV Cribs! Not anymore! Now any 13 year old kid who doesn't want their parents taking away their guitar... can finally afford to keep them out! While that may not be the best description of the benefits and uses of fingerprint door locks, it is to show that fingerprint door locks are now affordable... and cool.

Do fingerprint door locks have real life benefits?
Fingerprint door locks are not only cool in space, on a rockstars house, or a 13 year old kid, they are cool and extremely beneficial wherever you install one! Why? Because they have never experienced anything like this! Imagine coming home with your hands full of packages and don't want to have to fumble around for the right key, instead, you can wiggle a finger free and put it on your new fingerprint door lock... presto, the door is unlocked! Now imagine not ever having to look around for your keys when you are leaving.... then while your out, never worrying about losing them! We all know someone in our family or friends that is ALWAYS losing their keys. This entire fear is obsolete when using a fingerprint door lock. You will really enjoy not having to worry about your keys. Soon, you will have this feeling and let me tell you, life gets easier, problems about keys don't occur and eventually, you will feel that your fingerprint door lock is a good purchase, possibly the most convenient one you ever made!

How do you open fingerprint door locks?
Most fingerprint door locks have 3 ways to open them: mechanical key override, keypad-code, and fingerprint reader. The fingerprint reader is good for normal users, the keypad can be used for one time entrance by visitors, and the mechanical key override can also be used in case of emergency or dead battery. You really don't have to worry about a dead battery because most versions come with a 9 volt battery attachment on the outside for emergency uses, and most also have another battery for fingerprint storage so after changing the batteries, you don't have to enroll all the fingerprints again.

What applications do fingerprint door locks go in?
There are 3 basic fingerprint door lock applications: springlatch, deadbolt, and mortise. Springlatch locks are the most common type of inside door lock, they are on most inside doors like bath rooms, closets, offices, etc. To know if your lock is a springlatch, push in the latch and if it is springloaded, that means it is a springlatch. Next is a deadbolt, a deadbolt is most commonly found on the front doors of homes. Is is more secure than a springlatch lock, but only available for certain applications. The last kind of fingerprint door lock is the mortise latch. This is a commercial style latch found on most commercial locations that need higher security and also have higher use, therefore, this highly secure and durable latch is the choice for high-tech, highly secure environments. Most fingerprint door locks come in the springlatch versions, but there are still deadbolt and mortise models made.

How reliable are fingerprint door locks?
A few years ago, the technology was just not there yet and even expensive fingerprint door locks were not reliable. Now, 2007, yes they are very reliable. They do not jam up, most open on the first finger scan, the keys overrides work great, the batteries last about a year, and give out chirps when they are getting low, just like a fire detector does. Most also have a 9v battery connection for added reliability.

How secure are fingerprint door locks?
The security is the same as a normal springlatch, deadbolt, or mortise door lock, however, using biometric technology, another name for fingerprint technology, is added security, also, there is not a normal key slot, is is a specialized key override that most fingerprint door locks have, making it unpickable. Some fingerprint door locks have an auto-lock feature makes the lock behind you, automatically, this feature can be disabled, but is really a great feature!

Are fingerprint door locks easy to install?
Honestly, it depend... The springlatch and deadbolt models are pretty easy to install. Most are a clean swip-swap, they might require 1 or 2 holes drilled, but come with easy to use drilling templates. Usually, the mortise fingerprint door locks need to be routed out and professional installation is recommended. If you are completely non-handy person, you can probably call your local locksmith to install it between $75 and $100, but most people can easily install fingerprint door locks.

How many fingerprints can fingerprint door locks hold?
Amazingly, most hold at least 75 and other models much more. Installation is easy, most require 'admin' fingerprints to be programmed in first, then they can register new fingerprints and delete them if needed. Regular fingerprints cannot add or delete new fingerprints.

All in all, these top 8 questions should help you decide if a fingerprint door lock is right for your application. My conclusion is that fingerprint door locks are good for homes, offices, apartment complexes and many other applications where the owner wants increased security, ease of use and convenience of not having keys.