Your Home is Your Fortress

The Russian word "дом" (dom) primarily means "building" or "structure", but it also carries the meaning of "home", a place of personal residence. Everyone has their own vision of comfort and coziness, but we all agree on one thing — our home must be securely protected. The front door that lets the owners into their home can also become an entry point for burglars. And even the sturdiest door, if equipped with a poor-quality lock, cannot protect your home from intruders.

Locks are classified into four security grades (Grade 1 locks are the weakest and are typically used for interior doors). When installing locks on entrance doors, it's important to ensure that household locks have a security grade of at least 2, and for homes with valuables, at least grade 3. All locks must be certified to verify their resistance to forced entry. The grade is determined by strength, reliability, and burglary resistance. Unfortunately, no matter how advanced the lock is, no lock can guarantee total protection — all can eventually be opened.

For instance, an experienced burglar may spend about 30 minutes breaking a Grade 4 lock. When choosing a lock, it's best to select high-grade models, and when buying foreign-made locks, pay attention to the manufacturer’s reputation — it often speaks for itself. Only purchase locks from official stores with a written warranty. If a store does not offer a warranty, it’s likely a counterfeit product. Take time to assess the lock’s material and build quality before buying.

The most common type of lock is the cylinder lock, but many of them are well known to professional burglars. Lever (or "suwald") locks are considered more secure. Whether you’re installing a new door or simply repairing the current one, it’s wise to change the locks. The best protection is to use two or more locks of different types — for example, one mechanical and one electronic. When choosing locks for an entrance door, it’s advisable to go with the most secure options. A traditionally trusted brand is "KERBEROS".

One golden rule of safety is that lock installation and replacement should be carried out only by trustworthy professionals, preferably certified technicians from licensed organizations. And one last thing — a good lock cannot be cheap.