Interior Door Locks
When most people think of a lock on a door, they automatically think of the front door. This is because we are conditioned to think that way. Our front door lock protects us from uninvited intruders, burglars and home invaders (and nosy neighbors!) but it’s our interior door locks that give us ultimate privacy from the inside. These locks serve a different purpose and while they are no less important, it is good that we know the difference.
Home indoor locks
When home, it’s nice to have your privacy. Interior door locks can be found on bedroom and bathroom doors, closets, cabinets, desks, home theater doors and even some pet doors! Basically, most interior door locks can be found on bedrooms and bathrooms and it’s those that our AA San Tan Valley Locksmith post will be about.
No matter how private or how “open” you are with your family, roommates or friends, having locks on bedroom and bathroom doors are essential. Everyone, from teens to grandparents, cherishes their privacy. Nothing says you have to lock your door at certain times but it’s nice to have that option when it’s desired or needed. Even if you or your housemates absolutely never lock any of these doors, your guests for sure will at some point.
Commercial interior locks
The same is true for business door interior locks. Privacy is the number one reason for having them, with security being a close second. In older commercial buildings and locations interior doors secured private offices on a greater scale. In today’s commercial environment, cubicles and open floor space is the norm but locks on interior doors still provide privacy, security and access control for private offices, conference rooms, lounges, bathrooms and even break rooms.
Some commercial bathrooms are not locked during daytime hours as they are accessible by simply pushing on the door. They are locked however during maintenance times and after hours or on closed days. Smaller business location bathrooms have locks on them which are used each time such as doctor’s office bathrooms.
Storage rental facilities often have interior rooms where the renter uses his or her own lock to secure their belongings. While some have outdoor rooms, the bigger facilities are climate controlled and have storage rooms for lease in varying sizes.
Renters alert
If you are renting your home or business property you’ll want to follow the guidelines in your lease about your interior locks. Most rental agreements, leases, leases to own and other property contracts give specific guidelines as to what should be done about repairs, lock changes, rekeys, replacements, etc. If you can’t find these lease provisions be sure to contact your owner, property manager or his agent on site. Many lease agreements allow for lock changes and/or rekeys but they always stipulate that you give a key to the landlord for safekeeping and also that you get the new lock approved before it is actually installed. Failure to do so can result in a violation of your specific lease terms and can result in a fine and even an eviction.
Rehabbers and home builders
Some people rehab homes, either for themselves or to flip the property for income at a later date. It’s always a good idea to include new locks on your interior doors, especially if the older locks are not in the best of shape. It’s always easier to flip a property or outright sell it if quality interior door lock hardware is used in the rehab process.
Where to buy your home and commercial indoor locks
You can buy locally or online as there are advantages and disadvantages to both. Local buying gives you the added benefit of seeing your prospective lock in person. You can touch it and feel the finish and sturdiness first hand. This is often hard to do when buying over the web. Local San Tan Valley, Arizona shops that carry interior door locks include most of the major retailers, sporting goods and home improvement stores. On the downside of this, most clerks on the floor are low paid or on straight commission and know little about the actual lock itself. If you have questions, they most likely won’t provide the best answers. What you can do is call the manufacturer directly or go online to find further details about the interior door lock(s) that you are interested in. You can find a great deal of information about the locks you are interested in as well as get other details like customer reviews, warranty facts, shipping and installation instructions.
Shopping for locks
If you’ve never shopped locally for interior door locks we have some tips for you. When you visit a San Tan Valley, AZ home improvement or retail store, don’t just look for the lock itself. You’ll need the complete package including the lock, the handlesets and the hinges. You’ll need to decide between standard door latches without locks, door locks or a keyed lock. Look at all three of these types and you can best decide what you need for your home or business location.
Do you want door knobs or door levers? Again, look at both types and weigh all the options. Do you need to match a certain style? You most likely do so be on the lookout for that particular one and tell your clerk/salesperson, too. New door locks also come in different finishes so you will need to match that along with the style. Some of these finishes include nickel, bronze and brass. Even if you don’t care about style, lock finishes or matching hinges, your future buyers or tenants will, so be sure to take all this into consideration.
You can always use a locksmith