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One way to make sure your home and business are secure is to understand the different types of deadbolts. This way, you can make sure you’re purchasing and installing the right lock for your needs. In general, there are three basic parts of a deadbolt lock. These parts are: 1) a key accessible cylinder on the outside of the lock, 2) a throw or bolt that slides in and out of the door jamb, and 3) the thumb turn that lets the bolt be manually controlled from inside the door. Most deadbolt locks are made of either steel, bronze, or brass.
The most common type of deadbolt is what is called a basic single cylinder deadbolt. This kind of lock is operated with a twist knob on the inside of the door and a keyhole on the outside. The bolt is “dead” because you have to physically move it in and out of place with a key. Single cylinder deadbolts can be broken through, unfortunately, because an intruder can break glass near the lock and open the lock from the inside of the door that way.
Double cylinder deadlocks are a bit more secure, as an intruder would not be able to reach in through a broken glass panel. This is because this type of lock requires a key to operate it on both sides of the door – not only one side. The down side of this type of lock is that if someone is trying to escape the home quickly, it will take longer to unlock this type of deadbolt than a single cylinder lock.
Regarding the throw, or bolt, there is a difference in security risk between a horizontal and vertical throw. The standard horizontal throw comes out by one inch beyond the edge of the door and into the jamb. If an intruder is forcing his or her way into the door, this may not be enough support to keep the door and lock intact. Locks with a horizontal throw are called a rim lock or a rim latch.
The vertical throw, on the other hand, works by interlocking with a set of metal rings that are fixed onto the frame of the door. The rings around the bolt make this lock nearly pry-proof. Therefore, vertical throws are safer than horizontal throws. Vertical throws are also called a rim lock, even though it is a deadbolt with a vertical throw.