When it comes to our homes, we all have the overriding desire to feel safe and secure and the best way of doing this is by having good locks installed.  You have two main types of locks to choose from, keyed or keyless.  Here are the pros and cons of both types of locks.

What You Need to Know About Keyed Locks

A keyed lock is any lock that requires a key in order to operate. These are still the most common type of lock available for the home.  They are economical as they can be bought for very reasonable prices and they can be very secure if they are made out of high-grade steel.  As well, you have the option of combining a high security keyed lock with an alarm system that goes off if the lock is tampered with in any way.

One thing to be aware of with keyed locks is that they are more easily tampered with than keyless locks are.  They can be picked using a gem clip or other similar items.  You also have to worry about whether or not you have your keys with you, and it can be a real pain in the butt if you’ve locked your keys inside accidentally or if they are lost or stolen.  If you lose your keys, you will likely have to have the lock re-keyed or even replaced altogether.

What You Need to Know About Keyless Locks

Keyless locks are simply any type of lock that doesn’t require a key to open such as a combination lock, or an electronic lock that uses fingerprints, a code, or a similar.  The biggest advantage of these types of locks is their convenience – you don’t have to worry about carrying your keys, or even worse, losing them!  They can also be more secure than a standard keyed lock as only the people that need to gain access can, such as the people who live in the home.  There is no chance of dropping the keys or having them stolen and people using the keys to gain entry to your home.

However, you do need to be aware that many keyless locks are not, in fact, completely keyless as they have a key override.  These types of keyless locks can still be picked or they can be opened if you lose your key, even if you change the code!  Also, you need to be sure to pick a code that is not easily decipherable. Don’t use information about yourself that could be readily found out such as your birth date.  As well, keyless locks need a constant source of power, so they require a battery back up at the very least (if your home should lose power).  These batteries need to be changed regularly.