The lock sets we install in our home just don’t last very long. We upgraded a couple of times, but they still fall apart. We’ve always used keyed lock sets…locks and doorhandles all in one unit. We’re considering changing to separated handles and dead bolts. Are these more durable? We’d like suggestions on proper installation as well, so they’ll work smoothly and last a long time. Thank you.
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What makes are you using? I have some old Schlages that are going strong after 40+ years, and Kwiksets that seem to be good for 5 - 10 years. I've heard that Schlage's quality has gone down, but haven't used any of the recent ones.
-- J.S.
I use Schlages and never hear a complaint. They have different grades too though. I've seen Kwiksets that don't last three years.
A deadbolt is more secure.
What portion of the unit is wearing out? What sort of use does this get? Are customers and children slamming and openning it all day long?.
Excellence is its own reward!
Yeah, Kwikset also makes two quality levels, mediocre and total crap. ;-)
Because I'm converting an old apartment building into a single family, I kept the existing Kwiksets for now, and got the pin set and pickle fork to do re-keying. There are about 28 cylinders in the place, all keyed alike now.
-- J.S.
Doesn't Schlage make more than one quality series, as well? At least I'm pretty sure they used to.
I have some 8 year old brass Schlages that work well and only show tiny abrasions and nicks. You have to look close to see those (I just looked.)It doesn't matter how fast you get there, it just matters that you go in the right direction.
I've also had good luck withthe Schlages. Have replaced all the Kwiksets from my apartments as I renovate, putting in new schlages. Never had a problem with them.
I seem to recall that the top-of-the-line Schlage sets are branded "Baldwin"..
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario
We've used both Quick Set and Schlague. They've both failed. The knob slowly loosens up, the whole thing becomes wilty. It gets very difficult to even get the key in it because it wobbles so much. Yes, we have kids in the house...teens. They aren't esp. easy on doors...but they arent' abusive either. I think its the quality of the lock sets...or maybe the way we install them that is the problem. We heard Schlague was really good too, so we installed Schalgue with the built in dead bolts. They've failed. We are wondering if the built in dead bolts may be causing frailty of the entire lock set. And we'd like to know if separating the dead bolt from the lock set (two pieces) might work better?
It won't matter what kind you use if you can't keep the screws tightened up. That will cause extra wear and tear from parts not being aligned correctly. Occasionally, I put loktite on the rossette screws with mine but most don't need it.
The Kwicksets are from inferior metal and will wear out parts Kwickly even when the screws stay tight.
It's been a long time since I've seen a Weisser. I forgat they even existed..
Excellence is its own reward!
Try the Schlage "A" series, for the keyed knob, and their "B" series deadbolt.
Schlage is my choice also. They make some excellent com. duty sets. Titan, by kwickset, is a good res. choice. But a crappy install job will make any lock fail.
It may be worth your money to have a locksmith take a look-see at one of your worn-out locks. Not the counter guy at HD, but a real honest-to-goodness locksmith. Look in the yellowpages. For the cost of one lockset, he can examine it, and tell you exactly what is failing, and why it is wearing/breaking in that way, and what to do to eliminate it.
Try http://www.weiserlock.com/ I think Weiser wrote the patent book on latchsets. Other companys operating designs do not come close to matching the simplicity of action or installation of a Weiser. Turtleneck
Its not a smile- its a cramp
Yes, I have a Westlock. I had the plunger wearout. I had to take the door off the hinges to get the door open to where I could remove it.
I thought that Westlock was out of business, but I want to one of the few locksmiths in the area with a store (almost all of them are truck based) and he was one only places in this part of the country that handled Westlock.
Anyway as soon as he saw the plunger mechanisim he said that is not installed correctly. He could see the wear marks on it.
I forgot what he called it, but there is a secondard plunger on the back of the main plumger. That is suppose to be held by the strike plate and that locks the punger to keep it from being pushed back with a credit card. The strike plate was misadjusted and allowed that to move also and it caused extra wear.
Separate knob and deadbolt is by far the most common kind of installation here. The knobs go at typical knob level, and the deadbolts somewhat below eye level, the theory being that the separation makes it a little harder to kick the door in. From the other posts, I seem to be having much better luck with Kwiksets than most. Perhaps it's the mild climate.
I did move a Weiser deadbolt for a friend, they use the Kwikset blanks and didn't seem to be too different mechanically. They go in exactly the same holes. This one had the radio controlled battery operated motor that lets you open it remotely. It also has a timer built in that re-locks it after a while. So you're standing there with a bunch of people saying hi, and this thing goes "BZZZZZZZUP". Strangely enough, I haven't seen it re-lock with the door still open, even though there doesn't appear to be any kind of sensor to detect that it's closed. The motor isn't all that strong, so you have to get the holes exactly right.
-- J.S.
I've been hanging doors a long time and always go with Weiser for exterior doors in residential homes. Schlage has some nice commercial sets but you've really got to spend some serious money to get a good Schlage, their lower end plungers have a tendancy to disintegrate. Kwikset sucks and Yale makes a decent interior lever but I don't like their exterior latchsets. Go Weiser.
Turtleneck
Its not a smile- its a cramp
I have a suspicion the locksets available at the local 'home center' may be of a lower quality than the same brand from a real lumer yard / door supplier. It might be worth checking out. I know the Kwiksets that come from the real door shop I buy from come in different packaging.
To Luna
Do a google search on YALE LOCK HARDWARE. They make a commercial grade of lockset for the homeowner in a wide variety of choices. The cost may be expensive but the quality is top notch.
PatRen.