How to Choose the Right Lock — A Plain Guide from Your Ottawa Locksmith
Not all locks are created equal — and the wrong one on your front door could be costing you more than you think.
This guide breaks down every lock type in plain English so you can make the right call for your home, business, or rental property.
Walk into any hardware store and you'll find an entire aisle of locks — dozens of brands, styles, and price points, most of them packaged in a way that tells you almost nothing useful. Picking the wrong one isn't just a waste of money. A lock that looks solid but isn't rated for your door type, or one that's easy to bypass, gives you a false sense of security that's worse than no lock at all.
This guide covers the main types of locks, what they're actually good for, and how to think about the decision — whether you're replacing a single front door lock or securing an entire commercial property.
Knob and Lever Locks
Knob locks are the round-handled locks you see on most interior doors. They're convenient and fine for bedrooms and bathrooms, but they should never be the only lock on an exterior door — the knob can be broken or twisted off with basic tools in seconds.
Lever handle locks work the same way mechanically, but are easier to operate (which is why they're common in commercial spaces and accessibility-conscious buildings). Same security caveat applies — they work best paired with a deadbolt, not instead of one.
Lock Types — What Each One Actually Does
Deadbolts
The deadbolt is the workhorse of residential security. Unlike spring-latch locks (the kind that snap shut when you close the door), a deadbolt requires a deliberate turn of a key or thumb-turn to engage. That means it can't be slipped open with a credit card.
A single-cylinder deadbolt — key on the outside, thumb-turn on the inside — is the standard for most residential front doors. A double-cylinder deadbolt uses a key on both sides, which adds security but creates a fire exit risk, so it's generally not recommended for homes.
What matters as much as the deadbolt itself is the strike plate. Most deadbolts come with a short strike plate held in by half-inch screws — that's not going to stop a kicked door. A proper Grade 1 deadbolt needs a reinforced strike plate with 3-inch screws going into the door stud.
The Lock Grades — Start Here Before Anything Else
Before you look at brand names or styles, understand grades. In North America, residential and commercial locks are graded by ANSI (American National Standards Institute) on a scale of 1 to 3.
Grade 1 is the highest rating — built for commercial use, but increasingly the standard recommendation for any exterior residential door. Grade 1 locks resist forced entry, picking, and heavy cycle testing. Brands like Schlage and Deadbolt lines at this level are built to last.
Grade 2 is mid-range — suitable for interior residential doors and lighter-use exterior doors. Decent quality, not the right choice for your main entry point.
Grade 3 is the lowest — these are the locks that come pre-installed on many new-build doors and typically fail within a few years. Fine for a bathroom door. Not fine for your front door.
If you don't know what grade your current locks are, there's a good chance they're Grade 2 or 3. That's one of the first things we check when we do a security assessment.
Smart Locks
Smart locks have become a legitimate security option, not just a convenience gadget. Brands like Schlage Encode, Yale Assure, August, and Weiser Halo offer keypad, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi access — meaning you can unlock your door from your phone, issue temporary codes to guests or tradespeople, and see a log of who came and went.
The security of a smart lock depends entirely on what's inside it mechanically. A smart lock with a Grade 1 deadbolt chassis is as strong as any traditional Grade 1 deadbolt. A cheap smart lock with poor internal components is just an expensive version of a Grade 3 deadbolt with a touchpad on it.
What to consider before going smart:
Battery life — most smart locks last 6 to 12 months depending on model and usage. The Weiser Halo, which uses constant Wi-Fi, tends to drain faster. Set a calendar reminder, or you'll come home to a dead lock.
Backup access — most smart locks include a physical key cylinder as backup. Make sure the one you choose does.
Wi-Fi vs. Bluetooth — Wi-Fi locks can be controlled from anywhere. Bluetooth locks only work when your phone is nearby. For most homeowners, Wi-Fi is worth it.
We install and set up all major smart lock brands and can recommend the right one for your door type before you buy.
Choosing for Your Specific Situation
Just moved into a new home?
Rekey the locks immediately — you don't know who has copies of the existing keys. This is cheaper than replacing the locks and takes 20 minutes per lock.
Replacing worn or outdated locks?
Go Grade 1 deadbolt on all exterior doors. If your door is solid and the frame is in good shape, a lock upgrade is one of the highest-return security investments you can make.
Running a rental property?
A smart lock with a keypad lets you issue unique codes to each tenant and revoke them instantly when they leave — no more worrying about unreturned keys or rekeying between tenants.
Running a small business?
Consider a master key system — one key opens everything, individual staff keys open only what they need to. When someone leaves, you rekey one cylinder rather than collecting and redistributing keys.
Older home with non-standard doors?
Some older Ottawa homes have doors that weren't built for standard North American hardware — thinner stiles, unusual backset measurements, mortise lock setups. Don't buy the lock until you know what you're working with. We can assess the door and recommend what actually fits.
Not Sure What You Need? We'll Take a Look.
Sometimes the best answer is a second set of eyes on the door. We can assess your current hardware, tell you what's worth keeping and what isn't, and recommend the right lock for your specific door, frame, and security goals — with no obligation to buy anything.
📞 Call (613) 777-7348 — we're available 24/7 and happy to answer questions over the phone before you commit to anything.
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