Locks and Insurance standards explained

Which lock?
While some of the following may sound obvious to some readers, I do still come across many instances where I am asked the questions I will answer here and hope that everyone finds at least some of it interesting.

Firstly, the three most common types of lock;-

  1. The Rim cylinder, often referred to a “Yale” type lock. This usually has a circular housing on the outside of the door, with a mechanism on the inside that is operated by a knob or lever, called a “nightlatch.”
  2. The mortice lock, often referred to as a “Chubb” lock. This lock is positioned into the door with a key hole on both sides. It can be just a key operation, in which case it is called a “mortice deadlock”, or it can have a latch as well, with door handles – In this case it is called a “mortice sash-lock.” The keys are usually cylindrical with a square piece on the end into which is cut the shape that will match the levers inside.
  3. The Euro-cylinder. This is found on upvc, composite (wood effect), aluminium and a very few wooden doors. The key is similar to the rim cylinder, the lock barrel is shaped as a circle with a rectangular piece coming down. There are oval versions of this but they are not common in Norfolk.

BSI and insurance standards.
If your door only has a rim cylinder and it is your door of final exit, then it must have a BSI kite mark to satisfy most insurers. This means it should have an automatic deadlocking system. You can identify this system by looking at the nightlatch. Where the latch part comes out, you will see a smaller spring loaded protrusion. As the door closes, this strikes the keep and makes the latch shoot out further and makes a barrier that stops burglars “slipping” the lock to gain entry. Often these also have a key hole on the inside to lock the nightlatch, making it impossible to open the door using the lever. This means that if a burglar breaks into your home through a window, they still cannot take large items out the front door. Finally, around the front of the key way on the outside of the door, a strong housing over the disc will deter drilling attempts.

If your door is protected by a mortice lock, then it must be a five lever mortice lock. You can get two and three lever mortice locks but these should only be used for internal doors and cupboards. A BSI kite marked five lever mortice lock will have certain features that are not obvious or even seen. Firstly, there is the anti-pick curtain. This sits just inside the hole where the key goes in. It stops standard lock-picking procedures. You will not see the anti-drill plate which is an extra piece of metal on both sides that protects the internal working parts from attack via drilling. Standard drill bits will blunt before getting through these. The bolt will be hacksaw protected by either internal rollers or a thick rubbery material that grips the saw blade. The keep that sits in the frame of the door, will be deep and fully metal. These locks are so strong, if the door is forced, the door, frame or both will normally split before the lock gives.

The Euro cylinder on upvc doors is the only lock that, so far, does not have to have a BSI kite mark to satisfy most insurance companies. When your insurance company asks if you have a five lever lock, they are NOT referring to upvc doors – this is a very common mistake. We believe every upvc door should have a kite marked euro cylinder as it has been shown several times that they are easy to attack in several ways. BBC West Yorkshire have shown it is possible to break in, with no power tools, in less than a minute, regardless of the amount of hooks, rollers and bolts on upvc or composite doors.
There are many ways to help ensure standard cylinders are harder to attack, but investing in a kite marked cylinder and more robust handles is, in our opinion, the best way to go. Sooner or later, the insurance companies are going to start calling for improved cylinders on upvc doors anyway, and at that point, the cost is likely to go up.

Many people are unaware that upstairs windows require locks by most insurance companies as well. These are often cheap and easy to fit, but it is always worth an assessment by a locksmith to make sure you have the best, or even to see if there are any locking designs that are more aesthetically pleasing than the bulk standard held in DIY stores.

Also, many people do not realise that most good locksmiths will also be willing to fit security lights and alarm systems. With wireless technology, these are now getting just as easy to fit yourself, but again, for more in depth security, a locksmith or alarm specialist should be consulted.

Should you have any questions about your particular locks, home security or anything in our blogs, please do not hesitate to contact us via the contacts page, or, by calling  07846 643176.

Thanks for reading.

admin June 24, 2013

insurance standards / kite marked / locks /

Why choose AC Locksmiths Norfolk?

There are several Locksmiths available to carry out your work in the Norfolk area, so we have done some research on the competition to find out what sets us apart. Please take a minute or two to read the following and make your own mind up.

  • We are a genuine local company, based in Norfolk meaning the money you pay remains in the local economy stimulating local business.
  • We do not sub-contract out our work.
  • We are transparent with our pricing. Our labour rates for 2013/14 are £50 regardless of time of day, weekends or bank holidays. (£70 for car entry) and there are no labour costs if the locking products exceed £100. We can find no other locksmith website in this part of the country that advertises its’ prices. We find this fact very significant as we believe in being open and honest about our pricing from the first – there are no unpleasant surprises regarding what we charge our customers.
  • We are a qualified locksmith, we hold the highest level of accreditation in the country, NCFE level 3; this means we have trained and gained the appropriate qualifications. This is of particular importance in an industry that, so far is unregulated. (Although this should hopefully be changing soon.) We know that there are not many locksmiths that can offer this high standard at the prices we charge.
  • We still offer free security checks of your house, garage, office etc. – with no obligation to buy.
  • We often give free advice over the phone.
  • We do not charge labour twice if we have to make a second visit because we did not have your product on board the first time around.
  • Our existing customers are rewarded for loyalty by having labour rates frozen against future rises, i.e. last year’s customers continue to pay last year’s labour rates.
  • We stock second hand products for customers who cannot afford new ones.
  • We agree the full cost before work commences.
  • We take pride in our work: – that’s why we get testimonials and recommendations (which go on the testimonials page.) These are all genuine, from happy, satisfied customers.
  • We do not charge VAT, and will not charge it until we have to – this alone saves 20% off your final costs.
  • We write information blogs to help you save money, or inform you how to improve your security.
  • We want to be the best and are always on the look out for ways to improve without impacting on our prices.

admin May 31, 2013

AC Locksmiths / Locksmiths norfolk / qualified locksmith /

Saving money reminder

Time has flown since my last blog and lots have happened. Christmas has been surprisingly busy with an increase in window locks, (I will talk about this later) and a house move which has reminded me how much family pulls together when needed. Also this site is undergoing a few tweaks which we are really excited about. Hopefully, this will make us stand out even more.
But, back to the house move. As soon as we had a move date, the usual worries started about the cost of it all, particularly the removal van. As we were not moving very far, we thought a large van and a few trips would suffice. Looking back, I can honestly say that without some very hard work from our family we would have taken a week rather than a day to get done. This has set me to thinking about how, in my experience, many of us are so caught up in our own lives and issues, we do not stop to think about our siblings until those big days like house moves, weddings, etc, and while it is great to be there for these occasions, many of us do the dutiful visits but then go through the same routines. The point I am trying to make is this, if you have siblings, parents, cousins, friends, neighbours, even work colleagues, start talking to them about the more everyday things that cause problems or you could do  with advice on. Find out who their energy suppliers are, who their plumber is, who their locksmith is, do they know anything at all that could make your own life easier and do you know anyone or anything that could potentially help them. If someone in your life is elderly,you could check they are having essential things like boiler services done (without trying to take their independence away) and that they are coping as well as they like to think in an ever more complicated world.
And finally, my advise would be  – you could club together to save money. We say we charge £45 per hour for labour, but I have nearly always found that doing multiple lock jobs, gives me enough profit to be able to waiver any labour cost beyond that first hour. Therefore, if you wanted to upgrade your own locks, you should talk to your neighbours first and see if they want to improve their own home security. Providing the whole job was within a reasonable distance, the labour cost would not only be shared, but reduced as well. This is a policy that could be extended to all trades and should be. After all, most of the trades persons labour charge is to cover things like petrol, tools, etc. If that trades person only has  to travel once, then their own costs go down, a saving that may be passed to the customer.
So, look at your jobs that need doing, talk to your friends, neighbours and family to find out if they are in a similar position and if so, see if you can get the work done cheaper between you. If nothing else, you will be that little bit closer to all.
This talk will also enable you to start your own directories of trusted traders that can be relied on for quality work at reasonable prices.

Now, back to those windows. Insurers are increasingly insisting that upper storey windows have locks as well as the ground floor. Check your own Buildings and Contents policy and then check your windows. I recently astounded myself with how easy it is to gain entry to an unlocked casement window with only rudimentary tools. I am also aware of entire estates of newer build properties that have the wooden double glazed windows. These are often built with lockable windows downstairs but non-lockable upstairs. Check now, because there must be nothing worse than the break in followed by the bad news of invalid insurance.

Finally, some bad news. It is with regret that we are going to  increase labour rates at the start of the new financial year in April. This is due to continued motoring costs and the need to cover such a large area. The increase will be between £5 and £10 ( still to be costed and finalised), but we do intend to continue our current policy of keeping labour rates the same regardless of time of day or day of week.

admin January 20, 2013

insurance / Locksmiths norfolk / saving money /

Locksmiths Accreditation

As of 23rd November 2012, AC Locksmiths are proud to announce we are holders of an NCFE Level 3 accreditation. The locksmithing industry is undergoing big changes behind the scenes, and while governments still do not want a nationally recognised qualification, the industry itself has taken matters into its own hands and taken measures to ensure customers can have some peace of mind in the level of competence of the locksmith they choose to carry out work for them. The result has been working with the NCFE to produce an accreditation with three levels. If you have not heard of the NCFE, they are a body similar to City and Guilds who deal with more “hands on” qualifications and their standards are high. A level 1 accreditation covers the basics of locksmithing while to achieve level 3, a thorough knowledge of locks and entry methods is required. For our customers, this means we have shown the ability to gain entry with minimum damage to doors and framework. While some damage is sometimes unavoidable, we will explain every step of the way the consequences of our actions and allow the customer to make the decision on how to proceed with all the available information. It also means that when installing new locks or equipment, we will make good and not take payment unless you are happy with the end result. Anything at all that causes problems will be explained to you before proceeding. Aside from this, our prices are still very competitive and we will talk you through the cost before work begins so you know exactly what you are paying for. Anyone can call them self a locksmith, but even within the industry, at time of press, not many can say they are NCFE level 3 accredited. Please note our number on the contacts page and put it into your mobile phone address book. You might never need a locksmith, but if you do, you will want the best qualified at the best price.

admin November 27, 2012

auto locks / auto locksmith Norfolk / locksmith norwich / locksmithing /

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