Home security in the U.S. is a very big deal. People like to feel safe in their homes, and for good reason. A house is a person’s castle, and they will do anything to protect it and those inside. The first line of defense for any home is a lock. For millennia, mechanical locks were the only way a person could keep burglars out, at least until alarms were invented. Then came electronic locks. Their high-tech appearance gives off a feeling that you’re now perfectly safe in your home. However, are they really better than mechanical locks?
Mechanical Locks vs. Electronic Locks
The thing about mechanical locks is that they’re as sophisticated as they can get. There really isn’t that much room for improvement. This is either a point in their favor, or against. A mechanical lock requires a key to be unlocked. It’s super simple and not a whole lot can go wrong with that system. Sure, you’ll need to replace the lock or key in a number of years due to normal wear and tear, but we’re likely talking decades with a high-quality lock.
The downside is that the criminally minded have finessed how to breach these locks. And, if you go for a budget lock, like so many of us do, that opens you up for a lot more security risk as those locks aren’t built as well.
With electronic locks, this is made much harder. Locks of this caliber are harder to pick, as they often don’t require physical keys, but rather combination code locks and digital keys that can be stored on your smartphone. There are also keycard locks and biometric locks that do require physical forms of identifications, although the advantages of biometrical locks are clear. But, they aren’t totally secure. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Keycards can be stolen, electronics may be hacked.
The point of a lock isn’t to necessarily make your home or office impenetrable, after all, there are a number of other ways to access your space. No, a lock is meant to be a deterrent. To make breaking and entering take way too long for comfort. A well-designed well-maintained high-quality mechanical lock will offer the same deterrent as a fancy-dancy electronic lock.
You’ll want to look at other benefits an electronic lock might afford you before switching over.
If you’d like advice on lock options for your home or office, please contact us.
Sources:
“Electronic Door Locks versus Manual Door Locks” . 2017. Home Security Detroit.org. Accessed 7.17.2017
“Are Electronic Door Locks Safe?”. Houselogic.com. Accessed 7.17.2017
