What kind of locks do I have in my home? Look at the existing hardware in your home today. How many doors do you have? Do any of them have glass windows in or adjacent to the doors? Do you have knobs and deadbolts on each door? Is any of your existing hardware broken or not operating properly? If you answer yes to any of these questions you may need to replace or install new knobs and or deadbolts.

Do I needs deadbolts? We at Citadel Locksmiths stock Schlage and Kwikset residential knobs and deadbolts. If you are replacing only a few of your existing locks we will help determine what brand you have in order to assure we can rekey all of the locks to one key. Both brands are very reliable and will provide excellent service. You may use a combination of knobs and either single cylinder or double cylinder deadbolts. A single cylinder deadbolt will have a key hole on the outside of your door and a thumb turn on the inside. A double cylinder deadbolt will have a key hole on both sides of your door. That is to prevent a burglar from breaking the glass in or near your door and reaching in to unlock the thumb turn. We also have decorative entry handle sets available for your main entrance.

What is safe? It is a good practice to have a deadbolt as well as a knob on each door. An entry knob is not manufactured to give complete security to your home. The latch on a standard entry knob is not manufactured to  extend into the door frame to prevent forced entry. A deadbolt bolt if installed properly will extend into the door frame a full 1 inch and will give you the added security you desire. 

How can I protect the finish of my new hardware? After your new hardware is installed, you may want to take extra steps to protect the finish. The Triangle area  has the largest concentration of acid rain in the US. This pollution will eat away the manufacturers protective covering that had been applied and expose the metal to tarnish and decay. A coating of car wax will help to protect the brass shine. We recommend a non-abrasive wax such as "Rain-dance". Do this periodically and extend the life of your hardware. 

Do I need to rekey? If your hardware is adequate and in good working condition you may need to have Citadel Locksmiths rekey your locks. Our locksmith will rework the locks to make your existing key never work again and a new key will. We will provide to you the only keys that will work your locks.  At that time you will be able to track to whom you issue the new keys. This is a good solution if you are afraid there may be someone with a key to your home without your permission. Our locksmiths will be able to duplicate your new key as many times as you need right there on his truck.

Please find below a handy chart to help you inventory and identify the hardware in your home. Use this information to call us today to set an appointment for one of our experienced locksmiths to upgrade the security of your home.