How often do you think about your door locks or about changing your door locks? We’re talking about the door locks to the front and back of your house. The answer is probably not very often but perhaps you should stop to think about them for a moment. You know your locks are important for keeping intruders out, but perhaps you don’t know the importance they play in insurance. Door locks should meet certain standards and criteria, there’s actually a lot more to them than you might initially think. Ever heard of the BS3621 standard? That’s the industry standard that recognizes the criteria your locks should meet. Let’s look at this standard in more detail and understand why it’s important to have BS3621 standard locks.
Why do you need to have good-quality locks?
Let’s start with the basics. Why do you need to have good quality locks, and why is it important? Of course, we all know the main reason is to keep out burglars or unwanted intruders. But did you know that locks that don’t meet certain standards are not as effective? So, good-quality locks are really important. They are most effective at carrying out their main purpose, preventing people from entering your property. That’s where the BS3621 standard comes in, which we’ll talk more about later.
Another reason to keep the security high
Another reason it’s important to have industry-standard locks is for insurance purposes. Most insurance companies require you to have industry-standard locks, more specifically the BS3621 standard. Sometimes you may find insurance companies actually offer you cheaper insurance if you have these locks, however for the majority it is a minimum requirement. Be sure the question will almost definitely arise if you ever need to claim something.
When taking out insurance it is important to think about the quality of your door locks, especially something for new homeowners to do when they get the keys. When applying for insurance you should always make sure, to be honest, don’t skip checking your door lock quality or it might come back to bite you. Having industry-standard locks is important to effectively stop intruders from entering, but also helps you if you ever need to claim on your insurance. It’s a big risk not to have good quality locks.
What exactly is BS3621?
So we’ve mentioned the BS3621 standard, but what exactly is it? BS3621 is the industry standard for residential door locks. This standard has been carefully created by the British Standards Institution, also known as BSI. The British Standards Institution creates a number of industry standards for various products across different sectors.
Many household items you might be familiar with such as plugs and alarms have their own set of standards much like this one that they need to meet. The BSI are experts in risk assessments, health care, and safety, so be sure that these products are perfect for their purpose. The BS3621 standard has been created by rigorous testing to ensure the locks are up to standard. After tests on various locks to determine what is required of them to succeed, such as testing common burglary techniques like drilling and picking. When the locks follow the criteria needed to meet the BS3621 standard, you can be confident they are built to be robust against attacks. Hence, the reason they are a must for insurance purposes.
What are the requirements to meet BS3621 Standards?
There are a number of requirements a door lock has to meet in order to qualify as a BS3621 standard lock.
- This type of lock is usually found on wooden doors in domestic homes, but it can also be used on metal doors on commercial premises.
- A key is used to open and exit the lock. This is also known as the ‘keyed aggress’.
- You cannot open the lock from either side unless you have the key.
- The property must have more than one exit door.
- There must be at least five levers to the lock.
- The lock must be fixed by screws that are not accessible when the door is shut.
- The lock must be covered by hard metal plates to protect against drill attacks.
- The bolt for the lock must protrude by a minimum of 20mm from the faceplate when the door is locked.
- The bolt must be completely activated before you can remove the key.
How to check if your lock meets BS3621 requirements
Although there are a lot of requirements for BS3621 locks, there is an easy way you can visually tell if your lock meets the BS3621 standard. If you open the door to see the faceplate of the lock, you should see on the inside a stamped logo. This should be the BSI Kitemark, which is essentially their stamp of approval. Beneath the Kitemark, you should see the standard reference number which in this case is BS3621. You may also notice here a date, such as BS3621:2017. This date is the latest version of the standard, which means it meets the latest requirements of the most recent changes to the standard. It is always advisable to have the latest version of the standard, however, it is generally more important to have BS3621 standard locks of any version than not meet this standard at all.
Remember to check your front and back door, and any other exits which you might have. All should meet the BS3621 standard. If you are not sure if your locks meet the standard then a locksmith can confirm that for you, they’ll also be able to help change your locks to meet the right standard. That’s where SE Locksmith comes in, but we’ll talk more about them later. There are some other standards for different locks, such as BS8621 and BS10621. These are standards for flats and apartments, where live more occupants and usually only one exit. You’ll need to check you have the right one for your property.
How to check for BS3621 standard locks:
- Open the lock to see the faceplate on the inside
- Check for the BSI Kitemark logo
- Check the number reference is BS3621
How to choose the right lock
What happens if you don’t have BS3621 standard locks? Well, you should change them. As we mentioned, it’s a big risk for you if you don’t have good-quality locks that meet the safety and security criteria. There are many different considerations to keep in mind when choosing the right lock. You should consider the brand, type of lock, look of the lock, and shape it. You need to ensure you have the right lock for the purpose of the property and the door. Mortice locks are arguably the most common and popular.
So, if you choose these locks make sure they have at least five levers to meet the BS3621 requirements. Often, some locks only have three. Another type of lock is Nightlatches, these come in two types, standard, and deadlock.
The standard locks the door automatically but you can move the latch back to keep it unlocked. Also, the deadlock automatically locks the door and needs a key to unlock it. There are also other types such as multipoint locking systems and cylinder locks. With all these different options available, it can be easier to consult a locksmith’s opinion. Shortly, he will help you determine the right lock for you and your property.
Lock installation and finding the right locksmith
Now you have a BS3621 standard lock, you just need to install it. However, a lock installation is more difficult than it seems as there are lots of different parts and components to fitting the lock. It’s imperative to have a correct lock installation. Your lock isn’t like a piece of flat-pack furniture so it’s advisable to hire a professional for this as it can be risky to get something wrong.
Call A Locksmith Now
So, how do you find the right locksmith? Well, if you are located in the South West London area then look no further as SW Locksmith can help you. Our main focus is for home and business for emergency lockouts. We offer all the main locksmith services you may need, from changing any type of locks on the spot, fixing broken locks, and upgrading locks. As a mobile locksmith team, we are available 24 hours a day. Save our number so you are ready to call us in an emergency. You are in safe hands with SW Locksmith.
Hopefully, that has given you a good understanding of what the BS3621 standard is and why it’s so important that your door locks meet these requirements. Remember you need to have good locks to effectively prevent burglars but also meet insurance requirements. Also, make sure to go and check your locks right now. If you don’t have the BS3621 locks already installed, call SW Locksmith – 07383010010 – right now and we will come to help right away!
