Common Kinds of Locks and Keys that are Found Protecting Homes, Automobiles, and Businesses

Although most of us take the locks that protect us for granted, we do realize that we are constantly surrounded by them too. Locks can be found protecting automobiles, homes and even commercial properties. If one stops to take a closer look at these locks, they will find that there are certain types of locks that are used more often than others to protect their homes, commercial properties, and vehicles. In this article, we will take a look at some of the most common lock and key types that are used today.

Mechanical Locks

• Keyed locks

  Although they don’t use skeleton keys anymore, their more sophisticated and modern cousins are still the most used keys in the lock world. Keyed locks have been used for centuries now because of how versatile they are. They can be used for a number of different locking purposes and can even be matched up to exterior locks in a way where one key opens up several different doors. Although other types of locks are gaining on them in popularity, don’t look for keyed locks to go away anytime soon.

• Deadbolts

  If you have an exterior door you feel is not protected well enough by its lock, then you probably do not have a deadbolt lock on that door. Deadbolt locks are among the strongest locks that are made and they are also extremely difficult to pick. They work great as a main door lock or as secondary protection on any exterior door. These locks are a definitely a favorite and often recommended type of lock by locksmiths. That alone tells you how well these locks work.

• Fire Door Locks/Panic Bars

  Public and commercial buildings where many people gather have a need to be evacuated quickly in the event of fire or other emergencies. That is where panic bars and fire exit door locks come into play. These types of emergency locking devices allow any exterior door to be opened with a very minimum amount of pressure. They open so easily that even a small child can operate them without any problems. Fire exit locks and panic bar locks are essential to the fast egress of a building when an emergency or other event requires those buildings to be emptied.

Electronic Locking Devices

• Keycard locks

  Electronic locks are the types of locks that are quickly gaining on keyed locks in popularity. Among the most popular electronic locking devices are keycard locks. These are used mainly by businesses to do such things as allow an employee access into a restricted area or something else like a parking garage. All they take is a simple swipe of a card with a magnetic strip on it to activate a matching locking device. They are extremely easy to program so that makes them simple to distribute to the employees that require their use.

• Keypad Locks

  Among the most popular electronic locks used around homes are keypad locks. These types of locks only require a simple code to be punched into them in order for them to activate a locking device. They are popular because they are much simpler to open than any type of keyed lock. They also are used on automobile doors and some business applications too. Keypad locks have recently taken over the safe lock market too.

• Biometric Locks

  This is the future of locking devices. Locks that are activated by identifying biometric data such as fingerprints and retina patterns. These are great to use because no two people have the same fingerprint or retina pattern. It makes these among the safest types of locking devices that are made. They are already in widespread use on such things as laptops, smartphones, smart devices and home and business safes. Look for these to gain sharply in popularity over the next few decades as their technology is perfected.

Common Key Types

• Ordinary Cut Keys

  We mentioned that the most popular locks are keyed locks despite other types of locks now gaining in popularity. Because if that, it only makes sense that the most common types of keys are the ordinary keys that fit into those many keyed locks. These types of keys are very popular because they are lightweight yet very sturdy at the same time. They are also very simple to duplicate in most cases too. When you add to this that they are very cheap to make also, then you can understand why these keys are so significant in the lock world.

• Transponder keys

  Many people do not recognize this type of key’s name but they probably use one of them almost every single day. They are what is used on most automobiles these days. On one end they look like a regular cut car key and on the other end they have a black plastic or black rubber end with buttons in it. This black end with buttons is actually a transmitter that sends different signals to the host vehicle when a button is pressed.

  Transponder keys typically do such things as turn on and of the car alarm and open the trunk. They also will lock and unlock he doors. There is also a chip embedded in them which must sink up with the anti-theft system in order for the vehicle to start.

Call a Locksmith When You Have Any Type of Lock or Key Problem

Do you need some new locks installed or new keys made? Then your best bet to get this done correctly is to call a professional locksmith service. Locksmith companies are experts when it comes to installing and repairing locks and are also very good at making new keys. Most professional locksmiths will even make themselves available 24/7, 365 to help you out with all of your lock needs. So there really is no better type of professional than a locksmith to take care of your lock and key needs for you.