As a practising Edinburgh Locksmith I see the results of burglaries on a weekly basis. I will usually have to upgrade the customers locks to ensure it won’t happen again. whilst there I offer a free home security check, and give advice on burglary prevention.
Burglaries usually happen when the victims windows or doors have been forced open with a crowbar type tool. There’s nothing unusual about this way of entry, its the way thieves have been breaking in to properties for a long time.
Through time home security has improved. Unfortunately so has the burglars techniques of getting in! For tips on securing windows see our previous blog on window security.
From a wooden door to a UPVC door
Multipoint lock
Back in the day almost everyone had a wooden door, usually fitted with 2 locks: a Yale and a mortice. However, nowadays more and more people have upvc doors. This is due to a variety of reasons such as becoming the norm on new builds, or they come as a package when getting UPVC windows installed.
On the face of it UPVC doors seem to have amazing security as opposed to the wooden door. When locking a UPVC door, most require the handle to be lifted, which in turn shoots out a variety of hooks and bolts from the multipoint strip fitted in the door. These hooks \ bolts will then fit into the metal keeps in the door frame effectivly creating upto 5 locking points as opposed to the 2 locking points on the average wooden door.
So with these basic figures in mind, surely the UPVC door must be more secure right?
UPVC doors are useless with a cheap barrel!
Nearly all upvc doors are fitted with a eurolock barrel. This is the lock which is fitted through the UPVC door handle and is locked after lifting the handle. These locks can be a real security risk unless they are fitted with certain type of barrel.
The main reason these locks are so vulnerable is they can be so easily snapped and pulled out of the handle, leaving thieves a free pass to open the locked door. Check out this video: eurolock snapping.
The problem with these locks have become so bad that some countries are trying to ban them. Further more, most people dont realise their insurance policies are invalid unless their property is secured with a British standard eurolock – its usually in the policy small print!
British standard anti snap eurolock
As a result of the poor security features in a ‘standard’ eurolock companies were falling over themselves to create a better lock. Only the best of these new type locks would be awarded the 3 star British standard rating – such as the Avocet lock. 
The main security additional on these new locks were they could not be snapped anymore. Therefor stopping an intruder opening the door via the barrel hole.
Most burglars who break into houses via the eurolock know not to tackle a property fitted with a British standard lock. They would see the British standard kitemark and know immediately they would be wasting their time.
Conclusion
When it comes to home security there is no competition between a wooden door versus a upvc door – as long as it has a decent eurolock! The UPVC door with all its multi locking points is far more secure.
A standard eurolock can be purchased at most home improvement stores for around £20. However for around £45 you could have a top of the range British standard eurolock. So for the sake of an extra £25 you can improve your home security vastly.
I hope you enjoyed this locksmith blog. If it prevents 1 house from being burgled I will consider it a success. For any advice on fitting British standard eurolocks call Alcatraz – Edinburgh Locksmiths anytime.
The post Is your UPVC Door Secure? By Alcatraz Edinburgh Locksmiths appeared first on Alcatraz - Edinburgh Locksmiths.